Michelle Griep: The Bird of Bedford Manor

By Kelly Bridgewater

About the Book

Book: The Bird of Bedford Manor

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction / Regency

Release Date: February, 2026

Bedfordshire, England, 1820: Ruined by the sins of her father, Juliet Finch is cast into a life of self-reliance. Survival is a harsh taskmaster, but she is a quick learner and excels at tracking and snaring wild game to feed herself. Juliet embraces her new identity until the day Henry Russell catches her poaching on his land--a crime punishable by death. Henry, however, has other offenses on his mind: namely, the troublesome stalker who's making a misery of his sister's life. To try to put a stop to her torment, Henry charges Juliet with tracking the elusive villain so he can be brought to justice. Using her skills, Juliet hunts down the rogue. . .but may just become the prey herself.

 

My Thoughts:

The Bird of Bedford Manor by Michelle Griep is a mystery that keeps readers guessing. I love how Griep takes the heroine and makes her strong, independent, yet resilent in being able to survive. The plot takes a different approach when the hero captures her poaching on his land. Majority of the plot focuses on a mystery that draws the heroine and the hero into the throws of romance. The romance is sweet, yet enduring. I adore how Griep makes her heroes realize the worth of a woman, especially in the ages that she puts her characters into. Most woman were not seen as intelligent characters, but Griep allows bright and intelligent woman characters to shine on the pages of the story. I love the setting with the Regency era. Griep does a wonderful job at describing the setting and placing the characters into this world. So well that as a reader we will feel like we are walking the halls of this estate and watching the events unfold. Overall, The Bird of Bedford Manor by Michelle Griep will delight readers who enjoy mysteries in their Regency stories.

I received a complimentary copy of The Bird of Bedford Manor by Michelle Griep by Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

 

 

More from Michelle

The Waltz: The Dance That Shocked Regency England

Post by Michelle Griep

I’ll be the first to admit it…I can’t dance a lick. Not a jig, not a reel, and certainly not anything that requires turning in rhythm without stepping on someone’s toes. If you ever spot me on a dancefloor, it’s because someone shoved me there or I lost a bet. Which is probably why the waltz both fascinates and terrifies me. A dance that actually expects you to glide gracefully while holding someone close? Absolutely not. And yet in Regency England, it became the talk of the town.

When the waltz swirled onto the dancefloors of England in the 1790s, it caused more shock than delight. Imported from Austria and southern Germany, it was a turning, closely-held dance—far too close for the comfort of polite society. Many called it indecent, warning that no respectable couple should stand chest-to-chest before a room full of onlookers. Some critics even claimed the dance “ignited dangerous feelings” and threatened to erode proper English restraint.

Shocking, right?

But fashions shift, and all it took was the Prince Regent giving the dance his approval in 1814. Overnight, the waltz transformed from scandal to sensation. By the 1820s, it was everywhere.

Here are a few fun bits of waltz trivia from the era:
• Some etiquette books warned that too much turning could cause “disorientation” or “undue excitement.”
• Early chaperones sometimes counted the number of turns, convinced it reflected a couple’s level of impropriety.
• A lady’s hemline was said to act like a “barometer” of a gentleman’s behavior—if it swayed too wildly, he was holding her too tightly.

In The Bird of Bedford Manor, set in 1820, this same world of rigid rules and whispered scandals forms the backdrop for Juliet Finch—resourceful, determined, and driven into the woods by her father’s downfall. When Henry Russell catches her poaching on his land, everything changes. What begins as a crime punishable by death becomes something far more dangerous as he charges her with tracking the stalker tormenting his sister.

Juliet can track anything. But this time, she may become the hunted.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 24

Devoted Steps, February 24

Bizwings Blog, February 25

Book Looks by Lisa, February 25

Where Faith and Books Meet, February 25

Sylvan Musings, February 26

Sydney Schmied Books, February 26

Lily’s Corner, February 27

Melissa’s Bookshelf, February 27

Inspired by Fiction, February 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 28

Texas Book-aholic, March 1

Simple Harvest Reads, March 1 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 2

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 2

For Him and My Family, March 3

The Bookish Pilgrim, March 3

Betti Mace, March 4

Cover Lover Book Review, March 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 5

Blogging With Carol, March 5

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 6

Blossoms and Blessings, March 6

Stories By Gina, March 7 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 7

Holly’s Book Corner, March 8

Pause for Tales, March 8

Vicky Sluiter, March 8

Devoted To Hope, March 9

To Everything There Is A Season, March 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/zqeQC/the-bird-of-bedford-manor-celebration-tour-giveaway

Janice Cantore: Edge of Truth

 By Kelly Bridgewater

One case almost destroyed her career. Now the past seems to have caught up with her. And as a high-stakes game of truth and lies unfolds, someone’s out for retribution at any cost.

As a detective in the Long Beach Police Department’s violent crimes division, Lainie Jensen is no stranger to hard-to-crack cases and unusual disappearances, but then her sister Evie vanishes on a trip to Hawaii. After traveling there to look for her, Lainie quickly realizes her brother-in-law Stan is telling law enforcement a story that doesn’t appear to add up.

FBI special agent Ben Isaacs has spent six months collecting evidence to take down a money laundering operation. While his fellow agent Efren Gomez goes undercover to infiltrate the ring, Ben investigates those connected to it, including Stan Moffitt, who Ben believes could help lead to the criminal kingpin. Then Stan’s wife goes missing just days after Ben contacted her seeking information, and he knows there’s more to this case, especially when he loses contact with Efren and law enforcement comes up short in their search for him.

When Ben’s and Lainie’s investigations converge, Lainie’s not eager to work alongside Ben given their complicated history, but she’s willing to do so if it means figuring out what Stan knows and locating Evie. Soon, Lainie can’t deny Ben’s dedication to finding the truth or her growing admiration for him. And the more the two examine the evidence, the more they suspect Evie’s disappearance is tied to a highly publicized criminal case from Lainie’s past . . . and someone is playing a perilous game aimed at personal revenge.

My Thoughts:

Edge of Truth by Janice Cantore is a quick policedural mystery novel with a slight hint of romance. Readers will enjoy meeting the heroine and want her to succeed as she hunts for the missing body of her sister. As for the plot, readers will enjoy the inside look into the world of the police work. Cantore does a wonderful job at showing the emotional tole that all the work and incidents take on the police offers. I really liked that aspect of the plot. She crafted rounded characters that I could empathize with. In majority of stories there is always a romance thread. Technically, there is one, but it is very vague and does not take away from the main plot of the story, which I really liked. Cantore does give her characters the faith to find and come back, which I really like. I'm sure being a Christian cop is not easy especially with all the horrors that Satan makes people do. Overall, Edge of Truth by Janice Cantore delivers what I was expecting from the story, and I enjoyed spending time with the story. I can't wait to see what she crafts next.

I received a complimentary copy of Edge of Truth by Janice Cantore, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Sarah E. Ladd: An Unconventional Lady

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 One woman works to expose a scientific fraud while also finding love in the latest sweet Regency romance by Sarah Ladd. Perfect for fans of Julie Klassen, An Unconventional Lady delivers what Publishers Weekly calls Ladd's "pitch-perfect blend of suspense and sweetness" (The Cloverton Charade).

She faces the worst ultimatum possible for a woman--marry a man she detests or lose the future she's always imagined.

Charming and headstrong, Ella Wilde always knew she was different than other women. Thanks to her unorthodox upbringing as the daughter of Keatley Hall School for Young Men's headmaster, Ella has long dreamed of opening a school for girls that would meet the needs of inquisitive, brilliant, unconventional young women just like her--girls who longed for the education exclusively reserved for boys. But there's just one catch: Unless she marries before her father dies, Keatley Hall will pass into the hands of a distant cousin. In that case, Ella will be left destitute, and at this point her only option appears to be an undesirable marriage.

Ella's family had long been proponents of phrenology, the belief that an individual's personality and dispositions were predetermined by the shape of their head. Shortly before her death, however, Ella's mother's views on phrenology changed, and she endeavored to expose phrenology as nothing more than a fraudulent parlor trick. Consequently, she earned the wrath of phrenologist community, who called her "unstable," "bizarre," even "dangerous"--and branded her daughter the same.

Now, renowned phrenologist Thomas Bauer is about to arrive at Keatley Hall to speak at the Natural Philosophers' Society gathering, and Ella embraces the opportunity to clear her mother's name--and her own--once and for all. And her partner in crime? None other than her childhood friend Gabriel Rowe, who's grown into an ambitious, handsome London solicitor.

Gabriel has his own scores to settle, and when he learns that Thomas Bauer is visiting Keatley Hall, he jumps at the chance to prove himself and right past wrongs. As he is drawn deeper into the unusual happenings, it's clear that he and Ella must work together if they want to unmask the truth. Over time, Gabriel's attraction to Ella's beauty and wit becomes impossible to ignore, and as the lines between professionalism and passion blur, they both must decide what they're willing to risk for happiness.

My Thoughts:

An Unconventional Lady by Sarah E. Ladd was a feel-good read. Readers will enjoy spending time with Ella and Gabriel. The slow-moving romance was built on a slow trust that developed as they tried to solve the case of Mr. Bauer. Ladd does a wonderful job at creating a romance that didn’t just happen, but developed over time, which I really enjoyed. As for the plot, I loved the mystery element of trying to figure out what was really going on. Ella and Gabriel knew something was off, but they just couldn’t put their finger on it. I loved how they worked together and defended each other throughout the entire story. As for the character of Ella, Ladd did a wonderful job at crafting a character who was strong and stayed true to her values even when others around her frown at her and what her mother was supposedly was. As for the setting, readers will fall in love with the boy’s school, but the possibly of a girls’ school that Ella wanted to create in memory of her mother. Overall, An Unconventional Lady by Sarah E. Ladd was a interesting, yet mysterious novel with sweet characters that readers will enjoy getting to know.

I received a complimentary copy of An Unconventional Lady by Sarah E. Ladd from Harper Collins Christian Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase An Unconventional Lady