The Harlot of St. Cecelia's by Darcy Graves (An Inspector Garrett Mystery Book One)

 

Publication Date:

October 1, 2026

Genre: 

Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery

Length:  

312 pages

Series:

An Inspector Garrett Mystery

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

England, 1923. The war is over but not forgotten, and in the cloistered corridors of a university town just outside London, life has resumed its careful performance of normality, with faculty politics, reading circles, and theatre productions.

Into this world comes Eden Brior: an American librarian, sharp-eyed and perpetually out of step, who came to England looking for her lost brother but has made her quiet life among the stacks of St. Cecelia's.

A trying evening becomes considerably worse when she and the charming, impossible Simon Cross are accidentally locked in the bookvault, and a French actress turns up dead in the nave upstairs.

Eden is a witness. She may also be a suspect. And Inspector William Garrett, who has seen everything, has not quite seen anything like her.

Witty, vivid, and steeped in the textures of postwar English life, The Harlot of St. Cecelia's is a mystery that earns its place on your shelf through character: the people who loved the victim, the ones who didn't, and the ones who aren't quite sure.

My Thoughts:

First in a series is always tricky....you want to give the author a chance to develop the characters and so I always go in with an open mind, ready to try book two. This story was not super exciting for me though and I haven't committed to continuing with it yet. But I do like to give things a chance so maybe eventually. The premise sounded interesting, murder in a library, love triangle, set in the 1920's. I usually love these types of mysteries. 

Unfortunately, I found myself just trying so hard to care about the characters and I just didn't. They felt flat to me. Part of me had an impression of Inspector Garrett that didn't bear out (can't say without spoilers!) and I found that the book started strong with the librarian Eden as the main focus only to kind of let her go towards the end of the first half. I kept thinking, "why did we quit talking about her, she was very interesting!" After continuing I decided I enjoyed the mystery part of the story, just not the character development. No one really stood out to me like in some books where you might have the quirky sidekick or someone with a loveable pet. 

The writing was good and I thought the setting was portrayed accurately so this was not a total loss of reading time. I just don't think I'm invested enough with the characters to continue though. 

Death From High Places by Benedict Brown (Lord Edgington Investigates Book 1.5)

 

Publication Date:

January 24, 2022

Genre: 

Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery

Length:  

84 pages

Series:

Lord Edgington Investigates

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

Lord Edgington of Cranley Hall has some living to do. The next item to cross off on his list of grand ambitions is a serene balloon flight above his palatial estate. But, after a man falls to his death, the pleasant pursuit is interrupted, and the esteemed detective suspects foul play.

With the help of his hapless grandson, their loyal golden retriever and a couple of parachutes, Lord Edgington must solve the murder before the meddlesome police arrive to take control of the case. But, when all of the suspects seem like such nice chaps, it's awfully difficult to spot a killer.

My Thoughts: 

This was the perfect book for me this week. I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately. Overthinking my choices, feeling guilty I'm not reading or blogging as much. But I've just returned to teaching after a very long ten month medical leave and so it's been a lot. So this short, cute novella featuring some characters I love was the perfect way to jump start myself. 

Lord Edgington just wants to take a nice, quiet balloon ride but thanks to his grandson Albert's friends it doesn't quite turn out that way. Luckily, his other grandson, Christopher is there to help when a man falls to his death the day of the balloon ride. It appears his parachute did not open when he jumped from the balloon and Lord Edgington wants to know why before the pesky local police arrive. Being a former high ranking police official himself, he knows a thing or two about investigations and Christopher is a great assistant.

They interview the usual suspects and discover love triangles and resentments along with a killer that didn't fit their initial expectations. Throughout the story, Brown inserts his usual humor and sarcasm, especially within Christopher's thoughts, and he accurately portrays the way an awkward teen would feel around his older brother's much more beautiful, sophisticated friends. Brown also does a great job in his stories with setting. I do feel like I'm in England in the 1920's on holiday at a great country house, which is where most of his stories take place. The relationship between grandfather and grandson is sweet and subtle and very English. Lord Edgington does not suffer fools and secretly likes how Christopher is the only family member willing to take risks and come along for the ride with him- this time literally in a balloon. 

I will be continuing with this series. In some respects it is your typical 1920's cozy English mystery but I find it to be a bit more unique and authentic than some of the others. If you like your books clean with charming characters and challenging mysteries you will enjoy these books!

Poison in Piccadilly by Kelly Oliver (A Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery Book Six)

Publication Date:

September 14, 2024

Genre: 

Historical Fiction

Length:  

256 pages

Series:

Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane

Book description courtesy of Amazon:

1918 London

Is Fiona Figg ready to exchange her sleuthing cap for a bridal veil? 

Fiona is set to tie the knot with her dashing flyboy, Archie Somersby. But, while Fiona is busy planning her happily ever after, side-kick Kitty Lane and a group of judo-chopping suffragettes are kicking up trouble at the Piccadilly Jujitsu Club. 

When Kitty is found unconscious in the locker room during a high-stakes competition, Fiona must forsake her bouquets and bridal gown to investigate. Her sleuthing leads to a posh lady's luncheon where a mysterious death crashes Fiona's wedding plans. 

To make matters worse, the arch-nemesis of all things matrimonial, Fredrick Fredricks is up to his old tricks, attempting to put the brakes on Fiona's journey down the aisle. Will he succeed in tripping up Fiona's wedding vows? Or will she finally say "I don't" to the charming devil?

With humor as sharp as a judo chop and suspense as tight as a wedding corset, Poison in Piccadilly invites you to matrimonial mayhem that will have you saying "I do" to laughter and "forever more" to page-turning suspense. 

The book features real life suffragettes Sylvia Pankhurst and her bodyguards trained by Edith Garrud, who taught them jujitsu, which became known as Suffrajitsu.

My Thoughts:

This is the final book in the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane mystery series. It was a lot of fun and although it's not deep reading I don't care....these stories are just fun and light and I'm such a fan of the covers. On audiobook they are especially great driving to and from work for a lightheartedness to get you through your day. I am going to miss Fiona, Kitty, Archie, Clifford, Fredricks, and the little dog, Poppy, but something tells me Oliver left the door open for another sequel some day.

In this story we stay in England which wasn't as much fun for me but that's okay, I think she wanted to end up where the story started. Fiona is shocked when her friend Kitty is found unconscious at the Piccadilly jujitsu club and is determined to find out what happened. Then a second murder occurs and she knows there is more to the story. As she investigates while also planning her wedding to Archie, Fiona realizes she might not be as sure of her commitment to him as she once thought. Then Fredricks shows up to confuse her even more. We spend the whole book wondering which man she will end up with and start to see more of Archie's secretive activities. She does her best to find out who would want her friend harmed and another woman killed and to fight her feelings for Fredricks. 

I thought the mystery part of the story was a bit slow and truth be told I wasn't terribly interested in the whole jujitsu thing. But that's a personal preference, the story was still entertaining. The ending made up for it and I thought she did a great job of wrapping up the series. I would like to start her newest one starring THE Agatha Christie solving crimes of her own. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Harlot of St. Cecilia's by Darcy Graves (Inspector Garrett Book One)

 For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Harlot of St. Cecilia's, by Darcy Graves. This is book one of the series, Inspector Garrett. I have not heard of it or this author which is probably what made me request it. That and the cover which is gorgeous. Yes, it is another cozy, historical mystery set in the 1920's but this time it involves a librarian as the main character. Just my kind of story! It looks like a fun read and with my back to school tired teacher brain I need fun and easy to read. 

Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery

October 1, 2026

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

England, 1923. The war is over but not forgotten, and in the cloistered corridors of a university town just outside London, life has resumed its careful performance of normality, with faculty politics, reading circles, and theatre productions.

Into this world comes Eden Brior: an American librarian, sharp-eyed and perpetually out of step, who came to England looking for her lost brother but has made her quiet life among the stacks of St. Cecelia's.

A trying evening becomes considerably worse when she and the charming, impossible Simon Cross are accidentally locked in the bookvault, and a French actress turns up dead in the nave upstairs.

Eden is a witness. She may also be a suspect. And Inspector William Garrett, who has seen everything, has not quite seen anything like her.

Witty, vivid, and steeped in the textures of postwar English life, The Harlot of St. Cecelia's is a mystery that earns its place on your shelf through character: the people who loved the victim, the ones who didn't, and the ones who aren't quite sure.

A cozy mystery in the tradition of Dorothy Sayers, Jacqueline Winspear and Kerry Greenwood, this book is for readers who like: historical mysteries, intrepid heroines, morally grey charmers, and the golden age of detective fiction.

The first novel in the Garrett Mystery series.

Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon (Lord John Grey Book One)

 

Publication Date:

September 30, 2003

Genre: 

Historical Fiction

Length:  

368 pages

Series:

Lord John Grey

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

The year is 1757. On a clear morning in mid-June, Lord John Grey emerges from London’s Beefsteak Club, his mind in turmoil. A nobleman and a high-ranking officer in His Majesty’s Army, Grey has just witnessed something shocking. But his efforts to avoid a scandal that might destroy his family are interrupted by something more.... the Crown appoints him to investigate the brutal murder of a comrade in arms, who may have been a traitor.

Obliged to pursue two inquiries at once, Major Grey finds himself ensnared in a web of treachery and betrayal that touches every stratum of English society — and threatens all he holds dear. From the bawdy houses of London’s night-world to the stately drawing rooms of the nobility, and from the blood of a murdered corpse to the thundering seas ruled by the majestic fleet of the East India Company, Lord John pursues the elusive trails of a vanishing footman and a woman in green velvet, who may hold the key to everything — or nothing.

The early days of the Seven Years War come brilliantly to life in this historical mystery by an author whose unique and compelling storytelling has engrossed millions of readers worldwide.

My Thoughts:

This is the second read of this book for me. I read it years ago before I had my blog and my goal is to review all of Gabaldon's books eventually. I thought I really needed to re-read it to make sure I remembered it. I absolutely love the character of Lord John from the big Outlander books and am anxiously awaiting STARZ to get on it and give him a spinoff show already based on these books!! If you've not read any Outlander books I would not start with the Lord John ones. At least try to read the first three Outlander books because I just don't think I'd have appreciated these spinoffs without the background knowledge provided in the "originals." But if you are like me, you will fall in love with Lord John and want to know what he is up to in his own personal and military life.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Case of the Christie Honeymoon Murder by Kelly Oliver (A Detection Club Mystery Book Five)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Case of the Christie Honeymoon Murder, by Kelly Oliver. I haven't started this series yet because I have one more mystery to finish from her Fiona Figg series. I think this book will be a lot of fun as Agatha Christie and her new husband, Max travel down the Nile amid politics and murder. 

Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery

September 26, 2026

Book description courtesy of Net Galley

Agatha Christie’s latest book, The Seven Dials, has set the literary world alight. With a new marriage to Max Mallowan and a honeymoon cruise down the Nile ahead, she’s looking forward to the trip of a lifetime. But the publication has also drawn the attention of the Secret Service, who have spotted strange coincidences within its pages.

When Eliza Baker, assistant to the secretary of the Detection Club, is asked to accompany Agatha Christie and her husband, she reluctantly agrees, determined to help clear her friend’s name. Yet her attention soon shifts to fellow passengers, the Hardwicke family, who are celebrating a daughter’s birthday aboard. And when a guest is found dead in his cabin, the idyllic voyage takes a deadly turn.

As the steamer drifts upriver, Eliza and Theo must sift through polite smiles and private grievances to find the truth. Can Eliza and Theo uncover the truth before the Nile claims its next victim?

Trouble On a Country Lane by Isabella Bassett (Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries Book 4)

 

Publication Date:

June 15, 2023

Genre: 

Cozy Mysteries, Historical Mysteries

Length:  

240 pages

Series:

Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

Beautiful, rich and young, for Lady Caroline, life is an easy road trip full of adventure. But when the road ends with a dead body, things quickly get complicated.

England, 1925 It’s summertime in England, and for Lady Caroline and her nimble roadster, life is as breezy and full of promise as a winding country road. Unfortunately, on the way to the latest party, the road ends with a body. And when a guest at the party dies next, Lady Caroline finds herself at a dead end. Now, devious mothers with grand designs, mysterious American busybodies, and unhelpful uncles all seem to conspire to keep Lady Caroline from uncovering the truth. With a befuddled police force, Lady Caroline must take the investigation into her own hands and unravel this frustrating tangle of events, lest the course of her life be changed forever. 

Trouble on a Country Lane is Book 4 of the Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries series. In the glamorous world of 1920s Europe, money and privilege rub shoulders, and greed, envy, and murder are never far behind. Follow Lady Caroline, intelligent and witty, with a fondness for breaking rules, on a fun romp through the golden age of murder mysteries. Each book contains the requisite eccentric characters, fun historical tidbits, and puzzling murders with no gore or gloom.

My Thoughts:

One of the reasons I have loved this series was the character of Uncle Albert. Early on I started realizing he wouldn't factor in much in this story and was disappointed. But it turned out to be a really fun read anyway! I also had put off reading this one because it takes place in England and part of the enjoyment of the series has been the exotic locations. But again, it was a fun story and included some history that intrigued me enough to look up more information about it. 

Lady Caroline spends most of the story at a country manor house trying to figure out why an American family is so keen on buying it and marrying their daughter off to one of the English sons residing there. In doing so she finds two murders to solve and has to do so while agonizing over her encounters with her love interest, James. She uses her skills honed in cases past solved with her loveable, bumbling Uncle who happens to play a very small role here but she visits him in one chapter. While the premise and time period are a common theme in these cozies, I thought this one was a lot of fun. I enjoy this series and plan on continuing with it. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: Murder at Rosecliff by Alyssa Maxwell (A Gilded Newport Mystery Book Fourteen)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Murder at Rosecliff, by Alyssa Maxwell. It's book fourteen in a series I've only read three books from but I have enjoyed them. In this installment, now married newspaper owners, Emma and Derrick, must clear the name of one of their reporters, accused of murdering a blackmailer during a high society party. 

The fun of these books is that each is set in a mansion during the Gilded Age and the author does a fabulous job of describing the era and homes. It makes you want to go there and see them all for yourself. 

Historical Mysteries, Historical Fiction

August 25, 2026

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

When a troublemaking party crasher is found dead in a fountain during an elegant soiree in Newport, Rhode Island, newspaper editor Emma Cross Andrews must clear her own society reporter from suspicion of murder…

August 1903. Emma and her husband Derrick are among the men in white tie and tails and the women wearing white gowns from the House of Worth at Tessie Oelrichs’s Bal Blanc, or White Ball, at Rosecliff, her grand cottage on Bellevue Avenue. There to cover the event of the season is young Ethan Merriman, society reporter for the Newport Messenger, the newspaper owned by Emma and Derrick.

It’s an utterly charming affair until a stranger intrudes flaunting a green-striped necktie and matching vest in defiance of their hostess’s theme. But his fashion crime is a mere misdemeanor compared to his intention to blackmail Mrs. Oelrichs by producing a compromising document supposedly signed by Tessie over a decade ago.

Insisting it’s a forgery but terrified of scandal, she agrees to his terms, but the blackmailer will not live to see payday. His body is found face down in a fountain before the party’s end. Beside him stands a very wet Ethan, who was seen being confronted by the man earlier in the evening. Coming to the aid of their luckless cub reporter, Emma and Derrick must sort through the white lies and blackened reputations to discover the identity of the true killer.

Murder in Moscow by Kelly Oliver (A Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery Book Five)

 

Publication Date:

March 19, 2024

Genre: 

Cozy Mysteries, Historical Mysteries

Length:  

242 pages

Series:

Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mysteries

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

1918 Moscow

Will following her heart mean losing her head? It could mean losing her job.

Fiona Figg trails her nemesis Fredrick Fredricks to Moscow. But when she arrives at the grand Metropol Hotel, the bounder has vanished.

After Fiona doesn’t show up for work at the War Office, Kitty Lane raises a red flag and tracks her to Russia. Seeking haven at the British Embassy, Kitty and Fiona become embroiled in a plot to overthrow the Bolshevik government.

But the plot turns deadly when Fiona goes undercover as a governess in the household of Iron Viktor, the Bolsheviks’ Head of Secret Police. And when Viktor turns up dead in his study, Fiona finds herself wanted for murder and on the lam.

Can Fiona and Kitty find the real killer and escape the Kremlin before it’s too late? Or will this dangerous game of Russian roulette be their last?

My Thoughts:

I was looking forward to this book in the series because I enjoy those set in World War I Russia. The story of the Imperial family and the revolution has always fascinated me. If someone knew nothing about it this would be a fun way to learn a few main points and players. Within the mystery we find Fiona, Kitty, Archie, and Clifford once again battling Fredrick Fredricks, the German spy, sometimes savior, and a host of Russian characters who might be killers. 

Fiona becomes mixed up in the politics of the time and it lands her in hot water with the Russian government. Counting on the charity of the women she is imprisoned with, Fiona tries to escape her situation only to find herself in another perilous one. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Castle in the Glen by Rhys Bowen

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Castle in the Glen, by Rhys Bowen. This is a stand alone novel in which a writer travels to Scotland's Isle of Skye to solve a decades old mystery. Emma Callander agrees to help finish a novel for an older writer who is unable to complete it, but when Emma begins to dig for the book's research she finds the dark crime to actually be true. The setting description sounds beautiful and the mystery's story haunting and intriguing. It should be a good one!

Historical Mysteries, Historical Fiction

August 4, 2026

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

Australian writer Emma Callander has been recruited to complete the final historical mystery in a series by celebrated author Iris Blackburn. It’s 1964, and Iris’s memory is fading. She’s certain that only Emma can do justice to her novel about a murder on the Isle of Skye. When Emma ventures to Scotland for research, she discovers it isn’t fiction at all, but rather a true crime unsolved for more than fifty years.

It was 1904 when a couple’s suspicious drowning led to the disappearance of a mysterious young woman the locals called the Wild Girl. To this day the mystery is unforgettable, especially among the descendants of an aristocratic family who’ll do anything to keep their secrets buried. From the misty Highlands to a medieval castle, Emma and Tony Gordon, Iris’s handsome lawyer, work ever more closely to uncover them.

But while Iris may be known for her fiendishly clever twists, there’s one not even Emma could have seen coming.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Cherkley Court Conundrum by Benedict Brown (A Marius Quin Mystery Book 7)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Cherkley Court Conundrum, by Benedict Brown. I love this author and this series. Brown's characters are endearing and the mysteries are fun. This book in the Marius Quin series has the main character and his love interest, Lady Bella investigating a murdered maid and stolen jewelry in a country house in the 1920's. While this scene is not new to the cozy mystery world, I think Benedict has an entertaining style that stands out from some of the others. 

Cozy Mysteries, Historical Mysteries

July 17, 2026

Book description courtesy of Amazon Books

A maid found bludgeoned, a priceless treasure stolen, and the likely suspect gone without a trace…

When an old flame from Marius Quin’s past turns up at his door with knowledge of a shocking crime, he is drawn into a new case. A devoted maid has been brutally attacked, a valuable jewellery box stolen, and the head gardener has fled from the grand estate where they work.

With his sleuthing partner, Lady Bella, alongside him, Marius descends on Cherkley Court, the home of the domineering business magnate Lord Sheridan. But conflicting accounts from the man, his glamorous wife, a trio of young artists, and the troubled staff only lead to more questions. Although plenty of evidence points to the missing gardener, Marius isn’t convinced, and his hunch is proven right when the killer strikes again.

Faced with a conspiracy that reaches into the heart of the household itself, can Marius and Bella unravel a devious plot or will the killer get away with murder twice over?

Murder On the S.S. Cleopatra by Sara Rosett (Lady Traveler in Egypt Book Two)

 

Publication Date:

October 21, 2025

Genre: 

Cozy Mysteries, Mysteries

Length:  

304 pages

Series:

Lady Traveler in Egypt 

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

Luxury, lies, and murder on a Nile cruise....

Join Blix Windway, an adventurous lady traveler, on a journey down the Nile in 1924. An eclectic mix of passengers boards the steamer, including a captain of industry, a former stunt-girl reporter turned lady of the manor, an archaeologist, an American teacher, a British doctor and his invalid wife, and a German photographer.

When a passenger is found dead, the elegant cruise turns into a floating crime scene. With everyone confined on board, tensions rise and secrets surface. Even her traveling companion, Hildy Honeyworth, is behaving as if she has something to hide. Blix must navigate the treacherous waters of the investigation and uncover the truth.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Nile River and the ancient wonders of Egypt, this classic whodunit is the second book in the 1920s Lady Traveler in Egypt series from USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett.

My Thoughts

While I know cozy mysteries are not written for historical purposes per se I still get excited about them when they are set in fun times and locations. The pyramids are always fun so this series is one I've wanted to read and keep up with. And while it was still cozy and cute, this book lacked in details that made the setting feel real. The same characters are there and I enjoy them, the mystery was fun but the "Egypt", "Nile" feel not so much. It started out promising and the passengers on the cruise do take a sight seeing tour in the beginning to some pyramids but that only lasts one chapter and is very cursory. After that the book could pretty much take place in a hotel or on a regular cruise ship. The author added some tidbits from fictional gossip articles at the beginning of each chapter, mentioning the location but it just wasn't much.

I thought the story was nice and had some red herrings that kept me guessing. When we got to the end and found out who the killer was it was clever and surprising. The way the murders were committed was not easily discovered so that meant reading it carefully was necessary. I think the story was crafted more around the crime and interview style solution than the location. In order to call it "Lady Traveler in Egypt" it's going to have to include more places, activities, and descriptions to draw me in. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Case of the Christie Wedding Affair by Kelly Oliver (A Detection Club Mystery Book Four)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Case of the Christie Wedding Affair, by Kelly Oliver. I'm still finishing her other series, Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mysteries, but want to start on these eventually. 

This series imagines the life of Agatha Christie as a sleuth herself and is all in good fun. In this book, Christie goes to the Isle of Skye in Scotland for a hunting vacation and gets mixed up in a murder. 

Historical Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries

June 24, 2026

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

Scotland, 1930: Agatha Christie is getting married. She invites fellow members of the Detection Club to the windswept Isle of Skye for a quiet break while the banns are read. But tranquility proves elusive when the formidable Lord Blackwood, leader of a hunting party sharing their lodge, vanishes from the moors.

Sharp-eyed assistant to the Detection Club secretary, Eliza Baker, suspects foul play as the strange occurrences pile up: a mysterious grave in the churchyard, a missing rifle, and late-night excursions across the rugged island. There may be no body—yet—but someone at Dunmara Lodge is hiding a deadly secret.

As a storm cuts them off from the mainland, Eliza and her friend Theo must navigate lies, half-truths, and a treacherous landscape... but can they uncover the killer in the stalking grounds… or will the moors keep their secrets forever?

A Sunless Sea by Anne Perry (William Monk Book 18)

 

Publication Date:

August 28, 2012

Genre: 

Mysteries, Historical Mysteries.   

Length:  

373 pages

Series:

William Monk

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

 As commander of the River Police, Monk is accustomed to violent death, but the entrails hanging from the mutilated female body found on Limehouse Pier one chilly December morning move him with horror and pity. The victim’s name is Zenia Gadney. Her waterfront neighbors can tell him little—only that the same unknown gentleman had visited her once a month for many years. She was quiet and dull, unlike the usual fallen doxy; her pillar of support was respectable Dr Lambourn, recent suicide after his government requisitioned report on opium was discredited.

Monk's old superior Runcorn was first on the scene for Lambourn, and now suspects government suppression. Lambourn's beautiful wife Dinah lies about her whereabouts and denies accusations, but Monk must arrest her despite his belief in her innocence. While public, press, government, and a biased judge push for a quick hanging before Christmas, Monk, his spirited wife Hester, and their brilliant barrister friend Oliver Rathbone, search for answers. From dank waterfront alleys to London’s fabulously wealthy West End, the three trail an ice-blooded murderer toward the unbelievable, possibly unproveable truth—and ultimately engage their adversaries in an electric courtroom duel.

My Thoughts

It took me awhile to finish this book. I kept getting sidetracked by shorter or easier reads. I finally buckled down and read the last hundred pages straight through in two days and that made the story more compelling.