One advantage of being caught up in a whirl of dress fittings and decisions about flower arrangements and breakfast menus is that Charlotte Sloane has little time for any pre-wedding qualms. Her love for Wrexford isn't in question. But will being a wifeâand a Countessâmake it difficult for her to maintain her independenceânot to mention, her secret identity as famed satirical artist A.J. Quill?
Despite those concerns, there are soon even more urgent matters to attend to during Charlotte and Wrexford's first public outing as an engaged couple. At a symposium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, a visiting botanist suffers a fatal collapse. The traces of white powder near his mouth reveal the dark truthâhe was murdered. Drawn into the investigation, Charlotte and the Earl learn of the victim's involvement in a momentous medical discovery. With fame and immense fortune at stake, there's no shortage of suspects, including some whose ruthlessness is already known. But neither Charlotte nor her husband-to-be can realize how close the danger is about to getâor to what lengths this villain is prepared to go . . .
Praise for the Wrexford & Sloane Historical Mysteries
"Penrose deftly combines a Regency romance with a tricky mystery that delves into social unrest and the darker side of this storied period." âKirkus Reviews
"Its complex story line and authentic historical details bring the early days of the Industrial Revolution vividly to life. Bound to fascinate readers of C.S. Harris and even fans of Victorian mysteries." âLibrary Journal,Starred Review
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Release date
September 28, 2021 -
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- ISBN: 9781496732521
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- ISBN: 9781496732521
- File size: 5612 KB
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- English
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Reviews
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Kirkus
July 15, 2021
The fast-approaching nuptials of a couple with many secrets are threatened with delay by yet another murder in Penrose's latest Regency mystery. Although Lady Charlotte Sloane's relationship with the Earl of Wrexford has been fraught with problems, they're finally preparing to marry when a well-known scientist dies at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. Wrexford is called to the scene by Dr. Hosack, an American friend of the deceased who suspects that it was poison and not a weak heart that killed Mr. Becton, who was about to announce a great advance in anti-malarial medicines. One of Charlotte's wards witnessed the killer's departure, but his inability to identify him leaves the witness in possible danger. After the sleuthing pair discover that one of their most vicious enemies may be involved, they decide to investigate despite the bad timing. Becton had planned to offer his cure for free, but others are eager to steal the formula and sample in order to turn a profit. Luckily, many friends who have helped the couple in past cases are willing to pitch in again to investigate a complicated puzzle that features more than one group of villains. The fact that Great Britain and the United States are on the brink of war drags politics into the mix as well. A bit of Regency-period romance and history enhance a convoluted mystery with plenty of derring-do.COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Publisher's Weekly
July 26, 2021
In Penroseâs swashbuckling if uneven fifth Wrexford and Sloane mystery set in Regency England (after 2020âs Murder at Queenâs Landing), Lady Charlotte Sloane has finally agreed to marry the Earl of Wrexford, and for their first outing as an engaged couple, Charlotte and the earl attend a lecture by American botanist Josiah Becton at Londonâs Royal Botanic Gardens. Becton has made a momentous scientific breakthrough, but before he can share his discovery, heâs found dead in the solarium. The head of Bectonâs American delegation believes the botanist was murdered for his formula and asks Wrexford to investigate. The earl is reluctant, until he and Charlotte learn their young ward, Hawk, was in the solarium when Becton died and may have seenâor been seen byâthe killer. Too many plot threads and character backstories that have little to do with the murder inquiry muddle the bookâs first half, but the story picks up nicely in the middle and roars to an exciting climax, followed by a sweet denouement. Historical fans will have fun. Agent: Gail Fortune, Fortune Talbot Agency. -
Booklist
October 15, 2021
The scientific community of Regency London eagerly shared research, even with the Americans, with whom they had recently been at war. Thus, the Earl of Wrexford, a chemist, and his fiancďż˝, Lady Charlotte Sloan, make their first outing as an engaged couple at a symposium at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Josiah Becton, part of the American delegation, is scheduled to present his research about a plant with amazing curative properties. But it is the plant's potential commercial value that is behind his murder in a conservatory before the reception and the lynchpin for the intricate plot of Penrose's mystery. As the investigation evolves, the special talents of every member of the eccentric family of choice that Wrexford and Charlotte have put together over the course of four prior adventures are put to the test. In particular, Charlotte uses her secret identity as the artist behind scathing and very popular satirical cartoons to cast suspicions when the evidence is still thin. Modern sensibilities drive the character development, but the plot integrating science, commerce, and murder is solidly grounded in the historical period.COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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