A Wallflower’s Guide to Viscounts and Vice 

By Manda Collins  

Forever, 2025 

Trade Paperback: $17.99 

Genre: Historical Romance, Mystery  

Reviewed by Lisa Harrison 

Cover of A WALLFLOWER'S GUIDE TO VISCOUNTS AND VICE by Manda Collins. Cover shows an illustration of a man and woman in late 19th century clothing on a blue background. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a peer in want of a great fortune must be in need of a wealthy bride. Thus, in 1874, William, Viscount Gilford, finds himself in a bit of a pickle. The steward of the estate Gilford recently inherited has absconded with the bulk of the money, and William’s man of business informs him that an “infusion of funds” is necessary, and soon. This sets the scene for a rollicking adventure (with a dose of spice) in Manda Collins’s A Wallflower’s Guide to Viscounts and Vice. 

While William ponders his next move, his sister, Meg, and her heiress friend, Lucy Penhallow, plan to attend the Leighton-Childes’ ball. Lucy and Meg are among a group of forward-thinking women who belong to a mystery-discussion book club. At the ball, Lucy not only meets fellow attendee William – cue fast-burn romance background music – but witnesses the abduction of a book club friend. 

As the plot zips along, Lucy and William find themselves at the scenes of various acts of violence, with Lucy’s nursing skills giving her a notable proclivity to finding herself covered in the blood of victims just as the authorities arrive. For his part, William demonstrates a propensity for showering Lucy with affection after their encounters with brutal behavior, leading to whispered gossip when a public clinch is observed, then to tabloid press attention. The reader will not be surprised at the outcome of this obvious attraction. The mystery, however, does entail several changes of direction, including mistaken identity and a surprising conclusion. 

Collins’s author website features the tagline “Nancy Drew + Jane Austen with more kissing.” Even this “cozy” mystery/romance contains more than just kissing, edging more toward Bridgerton than Austen. An instance of attack by a heavy projectile with a sinister note attached seems straight out of Nancy Drew. There are other influences as well. The novel begins with a typical Wodehousian opening scene, where the aristocratic young master recovers from a night on the town by the administering of a restorative by his valet, in this case, an anti-Jeeves of lower-class speech patterns. These borrowings give a knowing wink to the literary exemplars that the novel references. 

A Wallflower’s Guide to Viscounts and Vice is the first spin-off from the “Ladies Most Scandalous” series. The breezy writing style, fast-paced action, and repartee between the principal characters will keep readers engrossed in this quick read. Characters tend toward a more progressive mindset than typical of the time, lending a contemporary feel to the historical romance. Mentions of the perceived proper roles of women give the reader a hint of difficulties faced during the nineteenth century, with the attitudes of Lucy and her relatives and friends previewing the progress that women eventually made throughout society. The front matter of the book contains a content warning listing kidnapping, violence, and murder, but excludes the presence of a spicy, “open door” bedroom scene. The book also includes a Reading Group Guide, making it ideal for book clubs. Readers in search of a historical romance featuring witty banter, a fast-paced plot, a baffling mystery with multiple twists, and a dose of spice will enjoy this page turner. 

Lisa Harrison is an avid reader who spent 15 years in the book publishing industry. When not curled up with a cup of tea, a book, and a rescued cat or two (or more), she enjoys all varieties of needle crafts.