The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars | 2,830 ratings

Price: 15.75

Last update: 05-24-2024


About this item

A New York Times Notable Book of 2021

“The kind of book for which the word 'rollicking' was invented.” (New York Times Book Review)

A prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance.

Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She's also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it's a pleasant existence. Until the men show up.

Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is smitten with Cecilia from the moment they meet. Unfortunately, that happens to be while he's under direct orders to kill her. His employer, Captain Morvath, who possesses a gothic abbey bristling with cannons and an unbridled hate for the world, intends to rid England of all its presumptuous women, starting with the Wisteria Society. Ned has plans of his own. But both men have made one grave mistake. Never underestimate a woman.

When Morvath imperils the Wisteria Society, Cecilia is forced to team up with her handsome would-be assassin to save the women who raised her - hopefully proving, once and for all, that she's as much of a scoundrel as the rest of them.


Top reviews from the United States

Tracy
5.0 out of 5 stars A Book Like No Other, A Must Read
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2022
Tally ho! The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is a rollicking good time and is pragmatic in all the right ways. It’s both inventive and meta and is like no other book I’ve read before. TWSOLS is a combination of The Princess Bride and Game of Thrones with all of the Brontë’s, some Austin and Julia Quinn thrown in, but funnier and a little more bonkers. And just like TPB, it’s also a tender love story and therefore it’s one big dichotomy.

TWSOLS is filled with wry humor that actually had me LOLing throughout, which, in my opinion is the sign of extremely excellent dialogue. Not only is TWSOLS filled with excellent dialouge, it’s filled with excellent words. There are a lot of archaic British words and terminology (thank you Google) that as a word nerd made my brain smile. And let’s be honest, we need to bring some of them back into our lexicon ... fingersmith, corsair, cudgel, rapscallion, dolorous, popinjay, trollop, etc. The best of the best being popinjay, IMO.

Cecilia Bassingthwaite, bibliophile, is impatiently waiting to be a full-fledged member of the Wisteria Society, but is hampered by her parents: a wannabe evil mastermind-poet father, who’s just evilly bad at poetry and a mother (deceased) who married said wannabe. Cecilia is taken under the wing and tutelage of her doting, hypochondriac by proxy, pirate matron great-aunt, Miss Darlington, to learn the ways of being a proper genteel marauder.

Ned Lightbourne is a jaunty scoundrel who has a “smile as crooked as his manners” and just might be the original renaissance man and therefore earns a place in the book boyfriend HOF. He’s a rouge with a conscience, but more importantly a heart of gold.

TWSOLS is filled with hired assassins, flying edifices, second-to-none dialogue, top-notch innuendo, actual innuendo, fun characters (some imagined, some real-ish) and so much more. It’s also a book that celebrates women, none of whom are seen as shrinking violets. In fact, the gender roles are reversed. If you’re looking for a unique read, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels should jump to the top of your TBR list.
Customer image
Tracy
5.0 out of 5 stars A Book Like No Other, A Must Read
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2022
Tally ho! The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is a rollicking good time and is pragmatic in all the right ways. It’s both inventive and meta and is like no other book I’ve read before. TWSOLS is a combination of The Princess Bride and Game of Thrones with all of the Brontë’s, some Austin and Julia Quinn thrown in, but funnier and a little more bonkers. And just like TPB, it’s also a tender love story and therefore it’s one big dichotomy.

TWSOLS is filled with wry humor that actually had me LOLing throughout, which, in my opinion is the sign of extremely excellent dialogue. Not only is TWSOLS filled with excellent dialouge, it’s filled with excellent words. There are a lot of archaic British words and terminology (thank you Google) that as a word nerd made my brain smile. And let’s be honest, we need to bring some of them back into our lexicon ... fingersmith, corsair, cudgel, rapscallion, dolorous, popinjay, trollop, etc. The best of the best being popinjay, IMO.

Cecilia Bassingthwaite, bibliophile, is impatiently waiting to be a full-fledged member of the Wisteria Society, but is hampered by her parents: a wannabe evil mastermind-poet father, who’s just evilly bad at poetry and a mother (deceased) who married said wannabe. Cecilia is taken under the wing and tutelage of her doting, hypochondriac by proxy, pirate matron great-aunt, Miss Darlington, to learn the ways of being a proper genteel marauder.

Ned Lightbourne is a jaunty scoundrel who has a “smile as crooked as his manners” and just might be the original renaissance man and therefore earns a place in the book boyfriend HOF. He’s a rouge with a conscience, but more importantly a heart of gold.

TWSOLS is filled with hired assassins, flying edifices, second-to-none dialogue, top-notch innuendo, actual innuendo, fun characters (some imagined, some real-ish) and so much more. It’s also a book that celebrates women, none of whom are seen as shrinking violets. In fact, the gender roles are reversed. If you’re looking for a unique read, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels should jump to the top of your TBR list.
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Cassie
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and Crazy!
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2024
This book was really fun to read. Prim and proper piratical ladies, a matriarchal society/world, and a little bit of magic. The only difficulty is that you are thrown into the deep end of this world and for the first few chapters I was so confused as to what was going on. The author's writing is very whimsical and witty, and it took me too long to notice the sarcasm at first! But once I got my bearings this book was really really fun. I laughed out loud and really came to love the tough Pirate ladies of the Wisteria Society. I feel like the comment on the front of the book is 100% accurate. This book absolutely was delightfully bonkers! I definitely am going to read the rest in the series!
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2024
I really enjoy this author and the characters she creates. It is a fun book to read. I read the second book in this series first by chance. This book introduces some of the characters but you do not need to read them in order. I hope to see even more from this author.
Beth Deese
3.0 out of 5 stars a fun story!
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2024
I enjoyed this story, it’s fun, silly and full of pirate heroines! How delightful!

Cecilia is a young up and coming pirate who longs to be a fully fledged member of the Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, England’s uppermost society for ladies who steal, maraud and fight the patriarchy. She lives with her older aunt in Victorian society, the crotchety, honor bound Miss Darlington, also a pirate and member of the Society. The conundrums abound and the polite tea drinking world of the ladies is enlivened by the appearance of an assassin who maybe wants more from Cecilia than just her death!

I love the characters from the imperious Miss Darlington, the knave and rogue Ned whose last name changes with his job title, to even Queen Victoria! This book is a lot of fun. It’s not necessarily the most riveting though there is a decent plot and enough to keep you moving through the story. It’s a series and I probably won’t go on to read the rest because I like to read books that challenge me and take some work. But it’s a fun read so if you want a book that is entertaining and delightful, this won’t disappoint.
TinainLV
5.0 out of 5 stars Hysterical with a Unique Mixture of Pirates and Witches
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2023
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (Dangerous Damsels Book 1) by India Holton is a lot of fun. With flying houses used as vehicles, pirates, witches, and plot twists galore, this novel is unique by combining it all. The one-liners had me laughing out loud. Literally.

The main characters are complicated and likeable. Cecilia Bassingthwaite, a proper lady, thief, and excellent in weaponry is seeking a promotion in the Wisteria Society and is plotting to kill her father who killed her mother. Then there’s Ned, the pirate. Or is it Captain Lighbourne? Or possibly Signor De Luca? He goes by many names, but he’s suave and cunning. He’s contracted to kill Cecilia—or protect her—it depends on who is asked.

Ned is hired by many people to counteract everybody’s plots. He quips to Cecilia, “Obviously, Morvath doesn’t trust me at all.” Cecilia’s quick reply is “Does anyone?”

One of Ned’s employers confronts him when he brings Cecilia along to her house. “You told me to bring you her (Cecilia’s) finger,” Ned reminds the woman. She replies to him, “Yes, but not attached to the rest of her person.” The scene where Ned searches for Cecilia’s aunt’s key is priceless.

It’s a fun story with well-written and not overly done romance. I would (and have) recommended the book, and I will get the second one in the series.

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