Book Extract: A Dowager is Done In By Helen Golden

Published March 5, 2026 | By Laura

I’m delighted to be welcoming Helen Golden back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book in The Duchess of Stortford series, A Dowager is Done In.

A mysterious summons. A fatal hot chocolate. And a duchess who never expected mourning to be this dreadfully dull.

Hampshire, 1891. Six months into widowhood, Alice, Duchess of Stortford, is restless. Black gowns and seclusion in the country have their limits, so when Clarissa, Dowager Countess of Romley, sends a personal summons asking for her discreet assistance with a troubling matter at Lawrence House, Alice seizes the excuse for a change of scene.

But what begins as a family gathering to welcome home the Dowager’s once-disgraced son ends in shock. Clarissa is discovered dead, her passing swiftly dismissed as a heart attack. Alice knows better. The Dowager had been afraid — and had trusted her to uncover the truth. Someone silenced her, but why? Was it to do with the announcement she made over dinner, or something even more dangerous?

Now everyone in the house is a suspect: the resentful heir, the returning prodigal, the mysterious guest with a too-familiar face. With her sharp-witted maid Maud, steadfast footman George, and her reluctant ally Lord Rushton at her side, Alice must act quickly. If the Dowager was murdered to keep her secrets buried, the killer will not hesitate to strike again.

The Dowager is dead. The clock is ticking. And the duchess is about to discover that country house parties can be murder.

Full of clever twists and a heroine who won’t give up until she finds out the truth, A Dowager is Done-in is the perfect escape for fans of historical mysteries wrapped in wit and warmth.

Helen has shared an extract from A Dowager is Done In with us today so you know what you have to do… grab that coffee, a biscuit, the comfortable chair and enjoy.

*****beginning of extract*****

Manning Hall, November 1891. It’s six-months since Alice, Duchess of Stortford’s husband, Vance, died. She’s learning to manage things at Manning Hall, and she’s even started the school project she discussed with Vance before his death. The only thing is—she’s finding mourning is boring! But when a letter arrives from Clarissa, Dowager Countess of Romley, hinting at a troubling matter at her home in Hampshire, Lawrence House, and asking for Alice’s help, she should just say no shouldn’t she? And, of course, Aunt Cora has a strong view about Alice’s responsibilities…

*****

Fee clapped her hands. “How thrilling! She wants you especially.”

“Highly irregular,” Baxter muttered.

“Well, you cannot possibly go,” Aunt Cora declared, crossing her arms. “You’re only six months into your mourning period. A house party would be entirely inappropriate.”

“It’s hardly a house party, Aunt Cora,” Fee protested. “More of a family gathering. Alice is family through my marriage to Duncan.”

“Even so, Fiona, it’s not appropriate for her to attend at this time. But I’m sure you can manage fine without her. I hear the house is cold, but the gardens are quite impressive. Several people remarked upon them in London last season.”

Fee gave a small, dismissive wave of her hand. “Oh, they are—but entirely in spite of the dowager, not because of her. She takes no interest in gardens or flowers at all.”

“Indeed?” Aunt Cora said, one brow lifting.

“None whatsoever,” Fee continued cheerfully. “She leaves everything to her head gardener, who takes an enormous pride in his work. The poor man could have planted cabbages in the rose beds, and I doubt she would notice, provided they were tidy.”

Alice remained silent, relieved that Aunt Cora had provided a convenient excuse for her not to go. The thought of travelling all the way to Hampshire to spend days among people she barely knew held little appeal. Besides, there was the building of the local school to consider—her pet project following a promise she’d made to her husband before he died—which needed constant supervision in these early months. “I think Aunt Cora is right,” she said. “And I really shouldn’t leave the school project at this critical stage.”

Aunt Cora nodded, satisfaction evident in the slight upturn of her lips. “Quite right, my dear. You may send your regrets with a suitable note explaining your circumstances.” Having settled the matter to her satisfaction, Aunt Cora rose from the table. “I must go. I need to speak with Mrs Wilson about the linen inventory. Excuse me.”

Alice watched her aunt’s retreating figure, noting the straight spine and measured steps that never varied whether Aunt Cora was crossing a ballroom or merely exiting the room.

The door had barely closed before Fee and Baxter both turned to Alice with identical expressions of expectation.

“Well?” Fee prompted, gesturing impatiently at the unopened letter in Alice’s hand. “Aren’t you the least bit curious?”

“Not particularly,” Alice lied, although her fingers had already begun to work at the seal. “I barely know the woman. We’ve met perhaps a handful of times at various functions.”

“Which makes it all the more intriguing,” Baxter pointed out, leaning forwards with uncharacteristic eagerness. “The Dowager Countess of Romley doesn’t extend invitations without purpose.”

Alice unfolded the letter. The paper smelled faintly of lavender.

“Read it aloud,” Fee insisted, her blue eyes bright with curiosity. “I’m most eager to know what she wants with you in particular.”

Alice sighed but complied, clearing her throat. “‘Your Grace. May I begin by expressing my deepest sympathy on the passing of your husband. My Henry spoke very highly of the duke, and I imagine it must be difficult at such a young age to be facing widowhood. I can only offer you the reassurance that over time, it becomes more bearable.’”

“Well, that’s nice of her,” Fee said. “She can be a crotchety old creature sometimes, so it’s good to know she has a heart.”

Alice continued, “‘I hope you will forgive me, writing to you directly and the even greater liberty of extending an invitation to someone I have only met on a small number of occasions. But I believe our paths are destined to cross—and, indeed, must do so soon.’” Alice’s heart fluttered. Destined?

“Go on,” Fee urged.

“‘You come highly recommended by a mutual acquaintance, who speaks of you as a woman of intelligence and discretion, with a particular knack for solving problems of a certain kind.’”

“Humph.” Baxter shifted in the seat opposite her.

She ignored him, keen to carry on. “‘There is a matter here at Lawrence House that troubles me. I cannot go into detail in a letter, but I would feel infinitely better if I could speak with you in person.’”

This is curious…

“‘It may be nothing—or it may be something very serious indeed. I trust no one else to help me look into it quietly.’”

Most intriguing…

“‘Do consider this a personal appeal. I would be most grateful for your presence. Yours sincerely, Clarissa Tremayne, Dowager Countess of Romley.’”

Alice refolded the letter slowly. Such a direct proposition was hard to ignore…

“Well!” Fee broke the silence, clapping her hands together in delight. “Isn’t that mysterious? You simply must come now.”

Must I? She was still torn.

“It’s highly irregular,” Baxter said, his brow furrowed, “to invite a near stranger to investigate matters within one’s household.”

Alice’s chin rose. I might be a near stranger, but I have

*****end of extract*****

About Helen Golden –

Helen Golden spins mysteries that are charmingly British, delightfully deadly, and served with a twist of humour.

With quirky characters, clever red herrings, and plots that keep the pages turning, she’s the author of the much-loved A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series, following Lady Beatrice and her friends—including one clever little dog—as they uncover secrets hidden in country houses and royal palaces. Her new historical mystery series, The Duchess of Stortford Mysteries, is set in Victorian England and introduces an equally curious sleuth from Lady Beatrice’s own family tree—where murders are solved over cups of tea, whispered gossip, and overheard conversations in drawing rooms and grand estates.

Helen lives in a quintessential English village in Lincolnshire with her husband, stepdaughter, and a menagerie of pets—including a dog, several cats, a tortoise, and far too many fish.

If you love clever puzzles, charming settings, and sleuths with spark, her books are waiting for you.

Say hi to Helen on Instagram, X, Facebook and TikTok.

A Dowager is Done In is book 3 in The Duchess of Stortford series and was released on 26th February 2026. Click to buy on Amazon UK and Amazon US.