Review - The Hidden City

I have only read and reviewed two prior books in this series, which is a mystery in itself since I enjoyed them immensely and intended on reading more in this series.  So many books, too little time I guess.

#3:  The Fleet Street Murders (click here) 

Prequel: The Woman in the Water (click here) 

Author: Charles Finch

Copyright: Nov 2025 (Minotaur Books) 275 pgs

Series: 15th in Charles Lennox Mysteries

Sensuality: n/a

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical cozy, traditional detective

Main Character: Charles Lennox, upper-class Consulting Detective 

Setting: 1879, Victorian London, England

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Book Blurb: "It's 1879, and Lenox is convalescing from the violent events of his last investigation. But a desperate letter from an old servant forces him to pick up the trail of a cold case: the murder of an apothecary seven years before, whose only clue is an odd emblem carved into the doorway of the building where the man was killed. When Lenox finds a similar mark at the site of another murder, he begins to piece together a hidden pattern which leads him into the corridors of Parliament, the slums of East London, and ultimately the very heart of the British upper class.

At the same time, Lenox must contend with the complexities of his personal life: a surprising tension with his steadfast wife, Lady Jane, over her public support of the early movement for women's suffrage; the arrival of Angela Lenox, a mysterious young cousin from India, with an unexpected companion; the dizzying ascent of his brother, Sir Edmund Lenox, to one of the highest political posts in the land; the growing family of his young partners in detection, Polly and Dallington; and the return of the problems that have long bedeviled one of his closest friends, the dashing Scottish physician Thomas McConnell."

My Thoughts:

This is a great escapist novel to leave twenty-first century drama and crisis behind for a few hours.  I usually don't comment on the writing style, but Charles Finch has a flare for writing this era and making the sentences flow with ease like a refreshing breeze. 

Lenox is recovering from a near-death stabbing with lingering pain and emotional trauma. This novel presents him with a case that helps him work through some of that while his personal life sees changes, too,

Lady Jane is an outspoken and very public supporter of women's Suffrage, which is causing a stir among fellow high society members. Lennox is worried about the physical threats bubbling up against the movement.

Angela Lenox, twenty-year old second-cousin who's father, Charles' cousin Jasper, died of cholera and left her alone in the world with only her lifelong close friend Sari. Charles was declared her legal guardian in the will. Angela infuses the Lennox household with some new blood and a youthful touch as Charles and Lady Jane are getting older.

Sari is native to India and was raised much like a sister to Angela and they both refuse to be parted. Angela traded in her 1st class ticket to afford 3rd class tickets for both to travel to England.  Sari is warmly accepted by the Charles and Lady Jane. Sari also brings some diversity and a freshness to the story. It isn't a reach since there were a few thousand from India residing in England at the time, either sailors, students, or professionals like lawyers and doctors. 

Lenox receives a letter requesting help from his beloved old housekeeper, Mrs. Huggins. She is living in a house that had an unsolved murder of an apothecary occur inside its walls and now she is uncomfortable by a vagrant sleeping on her doorway and odd occurrences. Lenox discovers an unusual symbol carved into Mrs. Huggins' doorway. That symbol connects the unsolved murder of the apothecary seven years ago to a new murder.  

This drags Lenox out of his general disinterest in cases since his injury and back into exercising his talents.  The subplot of the new family situation gets him out of the doldrums in his private/emotional life because family (Mrs. Huggins included) are paramount for him and the exact medicine he needed.

Lenox investigates the cold case that leads him through East London slums, Parliament, and elite social circles. Author Charles Finch does such a sensational job of researching and re-creating Victorian life in London with his attention to era details. 

The killer reveal doesn't follow the usual conventions. There is no tense confrontation or dangerous chase, which follows the overall reflective and more literary vibe of the novel. This also made portions seem a bit slower than expected for the series. I enjoyed this novel, but it won't be to everyone's taste. If you are a fan of the series you need to read this.  I wouldn't recommend this novel in the series if you are new to it. 

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

THANK YOU for reading this blog and please recommend to friends and family who will enjoy it.

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Review - Murder at the Merton Library

Author Andrea Penrose is the acclaimed author of Regency-era historical fiction, as well as Regency romances written under the names Cara Elliott and Andrea Pickens. Published internationally in ten languages, she is a three-time RITA Award-finalist and the recipient of numerous writing awards, including two Daphne Du Maurier Awards for Historical Mystery and two Gold Leaf Awards.

I have been a fan of this series since the beginning, check out the prior reviews of books in the series.

1)  Murder on Swan Lake (review here) 

2)  Murder at Halfmoon Gate (review here)  

3)  Murder at Kensington Palace (review here)   

4)  Murder at Queen's Landing (review here) 

5)  Murder at Royal Botanic Gardens (review here) 

6)  Murder at the Serpentine Bridge (review here) 

Author interview (click here) 

The author uses scientific inventions of the time period to base her stories on and this outing we have the race to invent the steam engine and propellor system for ocean travel woven into the story.

Author: Andrea Penrose

Copyright: Sept 2023 (Kensington Books) 370 pgs

Series: 7th in Wrexford & Sloane mystery series

Sensuality: mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical mystery, Historical Suspense

Main Characters: 

Charlotte Sloane, a satirical cartoonist under the name A.J. Quill

Setting: Regency Era, London England

Obtained Through: Publisher for an honest review, Netgalley

 

Book Blurb:  "Responding to an urgent plea from a troubled family friend, the Earl of Wrexford journeys to Oxford only to find the reclusive university librarian has been murdered and a rare manuscript has gone missing. The only clue is that someone overheard an argument in which Wrexford’s name was mentioned.

 

At the same time, Charlotte—working under her pen name, A. J. Quill—must determine whether a laboratory fire was arson and if it’s connected to the race between competing consortiums to build a new type of ship—one that can cross the ocean powered by steam rather than sails—with the potential to revolutionize military power and world commerce. That the race involves new innovations in finance and entrepreneurship only adds to the high stakes—especially as their good friend Kit Sheffield may be an investor in one of the competitors.

 

As they delve deeper into the baffling clues, Wrexford and Charlotte begin to realize that things are not what they seem. An evil conspiracy is lurking in the shadows and threatens all they hold dear—unless they can tie the loose threads together before it’s too late . . ."

MY Thoughts:

Lady Charlotte and Wrexford, Wrex for short, are great as a married couple.  Charlotte's adopted sons, Raven and Hawk, are front and center in this book along with their brilliant friend nicknamed Peregrin.  Wrex's best friend, Kit Sheffield, Lady Cordelia, Aunt Alison, Henning the anatomist, and McClellan are all on hand for this adventure.

The plot is solid with some intrigue and murder.  London is always portrayed vividly and this is no exception, from research labs, manufacturing warehouses, docks, and eleaborated balls with international guests.  Each book in the series covers an invention of the era. Details on the steam engine research is interesting but does slow the story a little bit in places.

This series consistently has exciting killer confrontations and this one is spot on with a ticking clock and thrilling chase.  This series makes the characters feel like dear friends. 

Rating:  Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

Thank you for reading this blog and please recommend to friends and family who will enjoy it.

Here is an interview with author Andrea Penrose on this book.

https://youtu.be/lxY1yK-69UA?si=DArBqhHOygUyhpqe

Review - The Hollywood Spy

 I'm behind in this series and starting to catch up.  I'm glad I didn't skip any of the books because this is a powerful addition to the series.  I began with the debut novel and have read and reviewed all these:

#1 Mr. Churchill's Secretary (click here)

#2 Princess Elizabeth's Spy (click here)

#3 His Majesty's Hope (click here)

#4 The Prime Minister's Secret Agent (click here)

#5 Mrs Roosevelt's Confidante (click here)

#6 The Queen's Accomplice (click here)

#7 The Paris Spy (click here),

#8  The Prisoner in the Castle (click here)

#9 The King's Justice (click here) 

Plus a wonderful interview with Ms. MacNeal (click here).

Let's join Maggie as she leaves England and travels to Los Angeles to help her former fiancee with a murder investigation.

Author: Susan Elia MacNeal

Copyright: July 2021 (Bantum) 369 pgs

Series: 10th in Maggie Hope Mysteries

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical mystery

Main Character: Maggie Hope, American now British Secret Service Fund

Setting: 1943, Los Angeles/Hollywood

Obtained Through: Library

Cover Blurb: "Los Angeles, 1943. As the Allies beat back the Nazis in the Mediterranean and the United States military slowly closes in on Tokyo, Walt Disney cranks out wartime propaganda and the Cocoanut Grove is alive with jazz and swing every night. But behind this sunny façade lies a darker reality. Up in the lush foothills of Hollywood, a woman floats lifeless in the pool of one of California’s trendiest hotels.

When American-born secret agent and British spy Maggie Hope learns that this woman was engaged to her former fiancée, John Sterling, and that he suspects her death was no accident, intuition tells her he’s right. Leaving London under siege is a lot to ask—but John was once the love of Maggie’s life . . . and she can’t say no.

 Maggie struggles with seeing her lost love again, but more shocking is the realization that her country is as divided and convulsed with hatred as Europe. The Zoot Suit Riots loom large in Los Angeles, and the Ku Klux Klan casts a long shadow everywhere. But there is little time to dwell on memories once she starts digging into the case. As she traces a web of deception from the infamous Garden of Allah to the iconic Carthay Circle Theater, she discovers things aren’t always the way things appear in the movies—and the political situation in America is more complicated, and dangerous, than the newsreels would have them all believe."

My Thoughts:  Maggie Hope is doing better emotionally in this addition to the series.  But she is now challenged with seeing her ex-fiance and working alongside him to investigate the death of his romantic interest.  She has come such a long way since the first book and this really shows the new Maggie.  The amazing and talented ballerina, Sarah Sanderson, is Maggie's closest friend and features prominently in this outing.  We see how she is lovely on the inside as well as the out.  RAF Flight Commander John Sterling, Maggie's ex-fiancée, is back after many books without him.  This is a changed John as well and he has some issues to face as they investigate the death of his girlfriend, socialite Gloria Hutton.  

As always, the plots are based in solid facts and this is no exception. Rampant prejudice was spreading like a California wild fire in Los Angeles while we fought the same in Germany and Maggie comes face-to-face with the ugliness as she digs into the death of Miss Hutton. The investigation uncovers so much with twists and turns.

The climax is gut-wrenching and tense, a real nail biter.  Excellent job all around.  This sets up for the further adventures of Maggie Hope as well.

A stellar addition to the series, in my opinion.  I couldn't put it down and devoured it.  This is not only an excellently crafted book but it is a look at the times showing the glitz and the ugliness.  Bravo.  I would love an autographed copy, which is rare for me.

Rating:  Near Perfect - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list.  Buy a copy for everyone you know, it's that good. 

Review - Front Page Murder

Today we are checking out a brand new historical cozy mystery series. One of my favorite eras for historical books is the World War II time period and this book puts us in small town America during the war.  I had to check it out.

Author: Joyce St. Anthony

Copyright: March 2022 (Crooked Lane Books) 300 pgs

Series: 1st in Homefront News Mysteries

Sensuality: n/a

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Cozy

Main Characters: Irene Ingram, Acting Editor-in-Chief of Progress Herald

Setting: WWII era, small town Progress Pennsylvania

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review, Netgalley

Book Blurb:   "Irene Ingram has written for her father’s newspaper, the Progress Herald, ever since she could grasp a pencil. Now she’s editor in chief, which doesn’t sit well with the men in the newsroom. But proving her journalistic bona fides is the least of Irene’s worries when crime reporter Moe Bauer, on the heels of a hot tip, turns up dead at the foot of his cellar stairs.

 An accident? That’s what Police Chief Walt Turner thinks, and Irene is inclined to agree until she finds the note Moe discreetly left on her desk. He was on to a big story, he wrote. The robbery she’d assigned him to cover at Markowicz Hardware turned out to be something far more devious. A Jewish store owner in a small, provincial town, Sam Markowicz received a terrifying message from a stranger. Moe suspected that Sam is being threatened not only for who he is…but for what he knows.

 Tenacious Irene senses there’s more to the Markowicz story, which she is all but certain led to Moe’s murder. When she’s not filling up column inches with the usual small-town fare—locals in uniform, victory gardens, and scrap drives—she and her best friend, scrappy secretary Peggy Reardon, search for clues. If they can find the killer, it’ll be a scoop to stop the presses. But if they can’t, Irene and Peggy may face an all-too-literal deadline." 

My Thoughts:   The characters range from Irene Ingram, a very capable acting-editor for the town paper facing the men challenging her leadership, her best friend Peggy Reardon encouraging her, her fiance's father is the police chief and genuinly likes her, and her mother's boarder Katherine Morningside who looks like a movie star and works in the factory.  The townspeople and main characters were all believeable and well drawn.  I felt the character of the town with its good folks and prejudice ones.  I loved how the era was brought to life with loved ones off fighting the war, rationing begining, and victory gardens etc.

The mystery got hold of me and the plot and pacing had me eager to read.  The climatic killer reveal was dramatic and tense just as I love it. This new series has me hooked and I highly recommend to fans of historical mysteries. A great addition to the historical cozy genre that I am eager to read the next in the series.  

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

My Musings - Favorite Historical Mystery Series Pt 2

I am continuing my series on historical mysteries loosely divided by era in today's and the next few week's posts.  I love historical mysteries and if you've been looking for a new series, or wanted to jump into this subcategory of mystery perhaps this will help.  This is in no way a comprehensive listing, that would be quite an undertaking.

In part one I covered up to the Regency era mysteries (click here). Now I am sharing the Victorian era mysteries.  

Victorian 1837-1901

Rosalind Thorne Mystery series by Darcie Wilde 

    Rosalind is the daughter of a baronet and minor heiress, but she was nearly ruined after her father abandoned the family. To survive in the only world she knew, high society and the nobility, she began to manage the affairs of some of London society’s most influential women, who have come to rely on her wit and discretion.  Now it's murder and her discretion and investigations skills are needed.

1)  A Useful Woman  (click here)

2)  A Purely Private Matter (click here)

3)  And Dangerous to Know (click here)

4)  A Lady Compromised

5)  A Counterfiet Suitor

Mayfair 100 Mystery series by Lynn Brittney 

With the blessing of London’s Chief Commissioner, Chief Inspector Beech, a young man invalided out of the war, assembles a crew of sharp, intrepid, and well-educated women to investigate.

1)  Murder in Belgravia (click here)

2)  A Death in Chelsea (click here)

3)  The Body in Berkley Square

Lady Darby mystery series by Anna Lee Huber 

A young society woman, who is a brilliant artist, is married off to a doctor who forces her to draw his disections for a medical book. The husband dies and she is an outcast, considered "unnatural." But when murder happens, she can use what she has learned to assist the investigator.

1)  The Anatomist's Wife (click here)

2)  Mortal Arts (click here)

3)  A Grave Matter (click here)

4)  A Study in Death (click here)

5)  As Death Draws Near (click here)

6)  A Brush with Shadows (click here)

7)  An Artless Demise (click here)

8)  A Stroke of Malice (click here)

9)  A Wicked Conceit

10)  A Periless Perspective

The Lady Sherlock Series by Sherry Thomas  

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society.  Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, challenges society’s expectations and matchs wits against an unseen mastermind. This turns the story of the renowned Sherlock Holmes upside down.

1)  A Study In Scarlet Women (click here)

2)  A Conspiracy in Belgravia (click here)

3)  The Hollow of Fear (click here)

4)  The Art of Theft  (click here)

5)  Murder on Cold Street (click here)

6)  Miss Moriarity, I Presume? (click here)

Madam of Espionage series by Carol Carr

When Sir Archibald Latham of the War Office dies from a heart attack while visiting her brothel, Madam India Black is unexpectedly thrust into a deadly game between Russian and British agents who are seeking the military secrets Latham carried.  An unconventional sleuth who has a knack for investigating.

1)  India Black

2)  India Black and the Widow of Windsor (click here)

2.5) India Black and the Rajah's Ruby-Novella

3)  India Black and the Shadows of Anarchy (click here)

3.5) India Black in the City of Light-Novella 

4)  India Black and the Gentleman Thief (click here)

The Agency Mysteries by Y.S. Lee (grade 7 and up)

Mary Quinn, a scrappy 12-year-old orphan and accomplished thief in Victorian London, is saved from the gallows by a stranger and taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls.  At 17, she is recruited by the mistresses of the school to join a covert group of female spies known as The Agency. 

1) A Spy in the House (click here)

2) A Body at the Tower

3) The Traitor in the Tunnel

4) Rivals in the City

Countess of Harleigh Mysteries by Dianne Freeman

Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, enjoys more freedom as a widow than she did as a wife.  But no sooner has Frances begun her new life than the Metropolitan police receive an anonymous letter implicating Frances in her husband’s death. This is a lighter historical cozy and very enjoyable. 

1)  A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder (click here)

2)  A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder (click here)

3)  A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder (click here)

4)  A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder

5)  A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder

Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery by Maia Chance

Miss Ophelia Flax is a Victorian actress who knows all about making quick changes and even quicker exits. After being fired from her latest variety hall engagement, Ophelia acts her way into a lady’s maid position. But when her new job whisks her off to a foreboding castle straight out of a Grimm tale, with the suspected remains of Snow White’s cottage, along with a disturbing dwarf skeleton. Then her millionaire boss turns up dead—poisoned by an apple—the fantastic setting turns into a once upon a crime scene.  This gives historical setting for the fairtyales and has a cunning heroine.

1) Snow White Red-Handed (click here)

2) Cinderella Six Feet Under

3) Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna (click here)

Victorian Bookshop mysteries by Kate Parker 

Antiquarian bookseller Georgia Fenchurch, who doubles as a private investigator for the secret Archivist Society.  Georgia owns her own business in a time when women, even working class, weren't so priviledged.  The Archivist Society is a network of people who solve crimes.  This is a delightful series but hard to find all the books since the publisher discontinued and only two have been self-published. 

1) The Vanishing Thief (click here)

2) The Counterfeit Lady (click here)

3) The Royal Assassin (click here)

4) The Detecting Duchess

5) The Conspiring Woman (click here)

Inspector Faro Mysteries by Alanna Knight

Edinburgh, Scotland 1870. Because of a promise to a dying woman and his own misgivings, Inspector Faro decides to privately look into a closed case murder. A man has been hanged for two murders. He readily admitted to one but vehemently denied the second. That is the one that Inspector Faro looks into.   Author also write the Rose McQuinn historical mystery series.

1) Enter Second Murderer

2) Blood Line

3) Deadly Beloved

4) Killing Cousins

5) A Quiet Death

6) To Kill a Queen

7) The Missing Duchess

8) The Coffin Lane Murders

9) The Bull Slayers

10) Murder by Appointment

11) The Evil that Men Do

12) The Final Enemy

13) Death at Carasheen

14) Murder in Paradise (click here)

Please share your favorite Victorian era mysteries in the comments.

Review - Silence in the Library

This is the second outing for the new Lily Adler Mystery series.  I read the first in the series, A Body in the Garden (click here) and fell in love with the characters.  Let's see how the crucial second book held up.

Author: Katharine Schellman

Copyright: July 2021 (Crooked Lane Books) 349 pgs

Series: 2nd in Lily Adler Mysteries

Sensuality: n/a

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical cozy, historical amateur sleuth

Main Characters: Lily Adler, still grieving society widow

Setting: 1815 London, England

Obtained Through: Library

Book Blurb: "Regency widow Lily Adler didn't expect to find a corpse when visiting a family friend. Now it's up to her to discover the killer in the charming second installment in the Lily Adler mysteries.

Regency widow Lily Adler has finally settled into her new London life when her semi-estranged father arrives unexpectedly, intending to stay with her while he recovers from an illness. Hounded by his disapproval, Lily is drawn into spending time with Lady Wyatt, the new wife of an old family friend. Lily barely knows Lady Wyatt. But she and her husband, Sir Charles, seem as happy as any newly married couple until the morning Lily arrives to find the house in an uproar and Sir Charles dead.

All signs indicate that he tripped and struck his head late at night. But when Bow Street constable Simon Page is called to the scene, he suspects foul play. And it isn't long before Lily stumbles on evidence that Sir Charles was, indeed, murdered.

Mr. Page was there when Lily caught her first murderer, and he trusts her insight into the world of London's upper class. With the help of Captain Jack Hartley, they piece together the reasons that Sir Charles's family might have wanted him dead. But anyone who might have profited from the old man's death seems to have an alibi... until Lily receives a mysterious summons to speak with one of the Wyatts' maids, only to find the young woman dead when she arrives.

Mr. Page believes the surviving family members are hiding the key to the death of both Sir Charles and the maid. To uncover the truth, Lily must convince the father who doesn't trust or respect her to help catch his friend's killer before anyone else in the Wyatt household dies."

My thoughts:   Lily Adler is a delightfully intelligent, witty, and independent young widow taking her life into her own hands. In this addition to the series, she faces a few emotional issues head-on.

Lily's father, George Pierce is a male chauvenist and has always been critical of Lily.  He moves in as if the house is his to command and instantly attempts to reorder her life.  He sends her to represent him in a congratulatory call to an old friend who has remarried, which he disagrees with so he refuses to meet the bride. I usually don't like such family characters because the heroine typically acts too submissive, but in this case Lily stands up for herself often with her horrible father.  

Captain John (Jack) Hartley challenges prejudices as he is half Indian from New Delhi, which furthers angers Lily's father.  Jack is growing fonder of Lily with each day, but is conflicted since she is the widow of his dear friend.  

Lily's friend Ofelia is back from her honeymoon to an influential society man.  She presents herself as the quintessential era well bred lady.  Therfore, Lily's father likes her better than his own daughter.  

The Bow Street Runner, Mr. Page, would rather keep Lily out of the investigation but admits she gets information from society members when he can't.  

I have to give particular kudos for including a character who is on the autistic spectrum and demonstrate how misunderstood the condition was and how families were ashamed of such an afflicted.  

Jem, an industrious messenger boy who Jack pays to be his eyes and ears, is a favorite and makes several appearances.  

The mystery can be read as a standalone, but it does continue with character threads from the first book like any good series.  It is a well plotted mystery with some twists that kept me up reading.  The characters are well rounded and their thoughts, actions, and dialogue are natural and entertaining.  This is a slow-burn and developing romance, which I particularly like.  The setting is primarily the homes of the wealthy and influential, which works for this outing.  This is on the lighter side of the historical mysteries which I especially enjoy.  I highly recommend.

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

Here is the virtual book launch for your viewing pleasure: 

My Musings - Favorite Historical Mystery Series Pt 1

I will be sharing some historical mysteries loosely divided by era in today's and the next few week's posts.  I love historical mysteries and if you've been looking for a new series, or wanted to jump into this subcategory of mystery perhaps this will help.

Way Back Machine (Before 1811)

Crispin Guest Medieval Mysteries by Jeri Westerson starting with Veil of
Lies.  A disgraced knight earns a meager living as a private inquiry agent in 1383 London. There are 15 books in the series so far.  Review of Serpent in the Thorns  #2 (click here) 

and Troubled Bones #4 (click here).  I need to read more of this series, it is quite well done!

Chronicles of Brother Cadfael by Ellis Peters feature a Benedictine monk who was once a soldier, Cadfael, who aids the law by investigating and solving murders.  If you love history, definitely give these a try.  Cadfael is a layered character and the mysteries are just complex enough to keep you guessing.

Elizabethan Mystery series by Amanda Carmack set in 1558. Kate Haywood, a simple musician in the employ of a princess, will find herself involved in games of crowns as she sets out to solve the murder of the vindictive queen’s envoy.  Full of court intrigue. There are 6 books in the series. 

1) Murder at Hatfield House (click here)

2) Murder at Westminster Abbey (click here)

3) Murder in the Queen's Garden (click here)

4) Murder at the Queen's Masquerade

5) Murder at Whitehall (click here) 

6) Murder at Fountainbleu (click here)

Merlin Investigations by J.M.C. Blair are set in roughly the years 500-1500 

1 The Excalibur Murders

2 The Lancelot Murders

3 The Pendragon Murders (click here)

Regency 1811 - 1820

Lady Arianna series by Andrea Penrose  features Arianna Hadley, although a lady, her father was disgraced and died when she was 15 when she learned to survive with street smarts that she needs for investigating murders.  This is one of my favorites. 

1) Sweet Revenge (click here)

2) The Cocoa Conspiracy (click here)

3) Recipe for Treason (click here)

4) Smoke and Lies (click here)

5) A Question of Numbers

6) A Tangle of Serpents

7) A Swirl of Shadows

Wrexford & Sloan series by Andrea Penrose.  This series features  an unconventional scientist and a fearless female artist who team up to trap cold-hearted killers in London. Great characters and plots with historical detail and a dash of humor.  Another favorite.

1)  Murder on Swan Lake (click here) 

2)  Murder at Halfmoon Gate (click here) 

3)  Murder at Kensington Palace (click here) 

4)  Murder at Queen's Landing (click here)

5)  Murder at the Royal Botanical Gardens (click here)

6)  Murder at the Serpentine Bridge (due out in Sept 2022)

Captain Gabriel Lacey Regency mysteries by Ashley
Gardner features Cavalry captain Gabriel Lacey who returns to Regency London from the Napoleonic wars, burned out, fighting melancholia, his career ended, and struggling with his transition from a soldier's life to the civilian world. He finds new battles to wage in catching murderers.

1) The Hanover Square Affair (click here)

2) A Regimental Murder

3) The Glass House

4) The Sudbury School Murders

5) A Body in Berkeley Square

6) A Covent Garden Mystery

7) A Death in Norfolk

8) A Disappearance in Drury Lane

9) Murder in Grosvenor Square

10) The Thames River Murders

11) The Alexandria Affair

12) A Mystery at Carlton House

13) Murder in St. Giles

14) Death at Brighton Pavilon

15) The Custom House Murders

 

Sebastion St Cyr mysteries by C S Harris 

features Sebastian St. Cyr (Viscount Devlin) a veteran of the Peninsula wars with Napoleon and a nobleman who investigates murders-and who is going to argue with a Viscount that he can't? Grittier mystery, excellent characters, plot, and writing.

1. What Angels Fear 

2. When Gods Die 

3. Why Mermaids Sing 

4. Where Serpents Sleep 

5. What Remains of Heaven 

6. Where Shadows Dance (click here)

7. When Maidens Mourn (click here)

8. What Darkness Brings (click here)

9. Why Kings Confess (click here)

10. Who Buries the Dead (click here)

11. When Falcons Fall (click here)

12. Where the Dead Lie (click here)

13. Why Kill the Innocent 

14. Who Slays the Wicked 

15. Who Speaks for the Damned 

16. What the Devil Knows 

17. When Blood Lies 

-- Malcom & Suzanne Rannoch mysteries by Teresa Grant 

What happens when British Intelligence Agent Malcolm Rannoch marries a French woman amidst Napolean and the turmoil he is generating that breeds an atmosphere of intrigue and espionage with murder thrown in? You get this addictive series.

The order is a little confusing so this list should help: 

0.5) His Spanish Bride (novella)

0.6) London Interlude (novella)

1) Vienna Waltz

2) Imperial Scandal

3) The Paris Affair (click here)

3.5) The Paris Plot (novella)

4) Beneath a Silent Moon

5) The Berkeley Square Affair

6) The Mayfair Affair

6.5) Incident in Berkeley Square (novella)

7) London Gambit

8) Mission for a Queen

9) Daughter of the Game / Secrets of a Lady

10) The Mask of Night 

Atlas Catesby Mysteries by D.M. Quincy 

Atlas Catesby, youngest son of a Baron, finds he is quite good at solving murders when his chivalrous nature and strong sense of right and wrong see a woman being railroaded. To his surprise, the strong willed woman and he make an even better investigative team.  I love these characters and plots.

1) Murder in Mayfair (click here)

2) Murder in Bloomsbury (click here)

3) Murder at the Opera (click here)

Lily Adler Mysteries by Katharine Schellman features newly-widowed Lily Adler who is returning to a society that frowns on independent women after two years of mourning. She didn't expect her new life to include investigating murders, but she isn't opposed to it.

1) Body in the Garden (click here)

2) Silence in the Library (review coming this week)

3) Death at the Manor (coming August 2022)

I hope this provided a few ideas.  Be looking for the next listing that will include Victorian era mysteries.

Review - The Dead Cry Justice

 Heiress-turned-sleuth Prudence MacKenzie and ex-Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter step out of the elite society of Gilded Age New York as they venture into the city’s crime ridden streets and most dangerous neighborhoods to search for two missing children . . .

This won't be available until Nov 30th

Author: Rosemary Simpson

Copyright: Nov 2021 (Kensington Books) 360 pgs

Series: 6th in Gilded Age Mystery series

Sensuality: harsh realities of brothels discussed and how children are trafficked in sex trade

Mystery Sub-genre: historical mystery, historical private inquiry

Main Characters: Prudence MacKenzie, judge's daughter and heiress-turned-sleuth

Setting: 1890's New York city

Obtained Through: Netgalley

Book Blurb: "May 1890: As NYU Law School finally agrees to admit female law students, Judge MacKenzie’s daughter Prudence weighs her choices carefully. Chief among her concerns is how her decision would affect the Hunter and MacKenzie Investigative Law agency and her professional and personal relationship with the partner who is currently recuperating from a near fatal shooting.

 But an even more pressing issue presents itself in the form of a street urchin, whose act of petty theft inadvertently leads Prudence to a badly beaten girl he is protecting. Fearing for the girl’s life, Prudence rushes her to the Friends Refuge for the Sick Poor, run by the compassionate Charity Sloan. When the boy and girl slip out of their care and run away, Prudence suspects they are fleeing a dangerous predator and is desperate to find them.

 Aided by the photographer and social reformer Jacob Riis and the famous journalist Nellie Bly, Prudence and Geoffrey scour the tenements and brothels of Five Points. Their only clue is a mysterious doll with an odd resemblance to the missing girl. But as the destitute orphans they encounter whisper the nickname of the killer who stalks them—Il diavolo—Prudence and Geoffrey must race against time to find the missing children before their merciless enemies do . . ."

Prudence MacKenzie isn't your typical rich girl. She is wicked smart and determined to be a good investigator. She has to face the realities of sex trafficking of girls in this story.  Geoffrey Hunter, her partner in the investigative agency, is an ex-Pinkerton.  He is very protective of Prudence and clearly cares deeply for her.  Josiah Gregory is their assistant who is a little bit of a mystery himself.  I like this character and want to see more of him.  Charity Sloan is a female Quaker doctor running a clinic who plays a significant part during the investigation.  Detective Warren Lowry is searching for his sister who was abducted from the family home and could be caught up in the same situation.  Danny Dennis is a hansome cab driver who aids Prudence and Geoffrey along with his dog, Blossom and horse, Mr. Washington.  He is a great character.

New York during the Gilded Age was brutal for everyone but the mega-rich.  This novel brings the class disparity into sharp relief and the fact that child sex trafficking has been with us right here in the States for a while.

The plot starts simple and gets more complicated as the reader learns more.  Two young boys that look a lot like the Prudence's sandwich thief are murdered and it's clear the kids are being hunted.  I was drawn in and became invested in the two children fast which kept me reading. 

 The killer confrontation is hair raising and puts both Prudence and Geoffrey in danger.  The wrap-up paves the way for some changes for Prudence.  

I haven't read any of the prior books in this series, this was my first foray and I didn't feel lost at all.  The subject matter is weighty and serious, similar to the Sebastian St. Cyr series.  Other than a more clinical description here and there, there are no graphic depictions. Jacob Riis was a social reformer photographer and journalist Nellie Bly are actual historical figures which brings depth to the investigation.  This was well written, the characters well developed, the investigation doled out clues for the reader at a good pace.  I recommend.  I may go back to the beginning to see how Prudence and Geoffrey's relationship started.

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.