The Duke’s Gambit

The Duke’s Gambit (2018) Tracy Grant

Set in Scotland and London in 1818-1819

The end of the previous novella is start of this book. Malcolm’s sister Gisèle has disappeared with a member of the Elsinore League and so Malcom and Gisèle’s husband Andrew head to London to look for her. Unfortunately, events in Scotland become even more complicated, so everyone else returns to London, in the hopes that staying together will keep the safer (as opposed to leaving the children behind in Scotland with one or two adults).

Meanwhile, in London, things have gotten even more complicated.

(N)o one would summon Bow Street because Carfax was in a brothel, whatever the law.”

“No,” Roth said. “They summoned Bow Street because Carfax was in a room with the dead body of a young woman.”

This series has reached the point where if you haven’t read the previous books, you will be completely lost in the machinations of the spies and secret society and infidelities and, well, everything. It’s not that any one thing here is ridiculous, it’s just that a LOT has happened in the previous 14 books, and there’s no way to sum it up without it sounding like crazy with an extra helping of crazy-sauce.

“And you were his mistress?” Nan asked Mélanie.

“A long time ago.”

“And now he lives with you and your husband?”

“He’s also my father,” Malcolm said.

Nan let out a snort of disbelief. “And you were worried I’d peach about your past. No bleeding fear of that. No one would believe me if I did.”

As I’ve said, one of the things I particularly like about this series is that the children are an important part of the lives of the characters, even if they are not particularly major characters themselves.

Laura scooped snow up in her gloved hand and tossed it back at her daughter. Jessica threw a small handful of snow at Colin that fell short of its target. Dorothée bent to help her, as Cordelia was doing with her younger daughter Drusilla.

Those small interactions scattered throughout the story present the children as independent entities who are important to the adults. They are very much not plot moppets, and the everyday activities help offset the heaviness of the various mysteries.

Also, I appreciate that the men had fought (many at Waterloo) and it’s clear that society is completely unable to deal with the aftermath of what these men went through.

“I’d never experienced sheer chaos until then. I remember running my sword through the throat of a young Frenchman who couldn’t have been more than sixteen. Seeing two lads I’d gone to Harrow with fall to bayonet thrusts. I still can’t remember the last part. How I was wounded myself. I spent the rest of the battle with my face in the mud, unconscious most of the time, two dead comrades and a dead horse on top of me. That’s the only way I survived.”

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Interestingly, I was pretty sure that the major secret of the plot was, yet the mystery surprised my anyway, which was very pleasant. (I’ve read quite a bit of historical fiction set in this time period, so I was aware of the possibilities.)

If you haven’t read the previous book, do NOT start here. But much of the series is frequently on sale, so pick up the books as you find them, and up until about “The Mayfair Affair” (which is a rewriting of “Secrets of a Lady”) you can read the earlier books in any order.

Publisher: NYLA
Rating: 7/10

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