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.

Reader favorite Michelle Griep has penned yet another masterpiece with this page-turning adventure that has it all:

swoon-worthy romance
clever turn-of-phrase
colorfully memorable characters
charming British setting

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My Thoughts:

A female poacher? Yes, and one that even used to be a lady till her father brought her family down. Now Juliet is trying her best at keeping food on her aunt's table, so they don't starve. Even the job of being a healer is being taken away from her aunt as a new apothecary has come into town threatening what is left of their livelihood. So yes, even though it carries the death penalty, Juliet is poaching.

Henry Russell is trying to keep his family estate running while his father is on a trip. Not only is he trying to find out who is stalking his beloved sister, Charity, he now has to deal with a poacher. A woman poacher. And a woman who fascinates him to no end. What transpires is that Juliet agrees to hunt down Charity's stalker for Henry. A dangerous game indeed especially when the stalker has no plans to let go of their prey.

Now Juliet is in the crosshairs of a very dangerous person. This was a great mystery; it kept me guessing as to whom the stalker was. Who kept all of our characters on edge and caused chaos? Juliet and Henry have to fight all their misconceptions and work together. They learn that trust is hard earned and when lost almost impossible to get back. However, they must trust one another, or they will not survive this cat and mouse game.

This was a riveting historical; the plot was unlike anything I read before. Juliet's circumstances certainly upped the ante. It had an air of gothic with a dash of Robin Hood thrown in. That was just how Juliet came across to me.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

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.