A Dangerous Madness (2014) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in London in May 1812, around the actual historical events of the assassination of the Prime Minister. I love this series so much! He bent his head and rested his forehead on hers. “I just wanted you to know, for me, there is no going back. […]
Banquet of Lies (2013) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in London in 1812. Giselle Barrington fled Stockholm after witnessing the murder of her father. Now she has to find not only the killer, but also someone she can trust with the papers they were supposed to bring back to England. (H)e’d be looking for the […]
The Emperor’s Conspiracy (2012) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in London in 1811 Charlotte Raven is the ward of Lady Howe, and likely her heir. Despite that, she is almost a wall-flower in society, enjoying herself but never making splash. Emma tried to think if she had ever heard any whispers about Charlotte Raven, but […]
Friday’s Child (1944) Georgette Heyer Lord Sherington needs to get married to take control over his inheritance–especially since he suspects one of his uncles of not acting in his best interests. Sherry, however, is turned down by The Incomparable, Isabelle. ‘But my dear girl – ! No, really, now, Bella! Most devoted slave! Word of […]
Waiting for the Flood (2018) Alexis Hall (Spires) If you’ve read Alexis Hall, you may think you know what to expect from this story. Chances are you are completely wrong. It has been two years since Marius decided he was no longer in love with Edwin, and moved out of the house they had bought […]
What Abigail Did That Summer (2021) Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London) Set concurrently with Foxglove Summer. Abigail Kamara learned discovered what magic is, and now that she knows, she’ll do anything to learn it–including taking and mastering Latin. If you’ve read the Rivers of London books, you already know just how marvelous Abigail is. I […]
Sin Bin Series: Box Set (2020) Dahlia Donovan This is seven stories (and three short stories) around a group of former rugby players and friends and the men they fall in love with. The Wanderer (2017) The Caretaker (2017) The Botanist (2017) The Royal Marine (2017) The Unexpected Santa (2017) The Lion Tamer (2018) Haka […]
Cosplay Killer (2020) Dahlia Donovan (London Podcast Mystery) Osian Garey used to be a paramedic but now has a podcast. His partner and best friend from childhood, Dannel Ortea, is a fireman. Unfortunately, Dannel is being forced to accept that he probably cannot go on being a firefighter. It wasn’t the work itself. Or not […]
Grasmere Cottage Mystery (2018) Dahlia Donovan This is actually three novellas, but since I read it as one book, I’m going to review it as such also. Dead in the Garden Dead in the Pond Dead in the Shop Valor Scott and Bishan Tamboli have been best friends since their days at Harrow, and have […]
The Reluctant Widow (1946) Georgette Heyer Set in England in 1813. Elinor Rochdale fell upon hard times when her father fell into ruin and shot himself, and has been a governess in recent years. She has come to take a new position as a governess, but ends up in the wrong carriage, where it is […]
The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting (2021) K.J. Charles Set in Historical London Robin Loxleigh and his sister Marianne have come to London to seek their fortunes, each seeking a wealthy spouse. Unfortunately for Robin, the young lady he has set his sights for, has a very protective uncle who is determined to prove that […]
Just a Little Wickedness (2020) Merry Farmer (The Brotherhood) Set in London in 1890 Joe Logan came to London to search for his sister, who went missing while working as a maid at Eccles family, so he’s become a valet to the son. Lord Alistair Bevan is his father’s heir, and is feeling pressured to […]
These Old Shades (1926) Georgette Heyer Set in England and France in the mid 1750s. The Duke of Avon has well-earned his nickname of Satanas. ‘And you came to Paris with a fortune.’ ‘Quite a considerable one. I bought this house.’ ‘Yes. I wonder how you reconcile it with your soul?’ ‘I haven’t one, Hugh. […]
It Takes Two to Tumble (2017) Cat Sebastian (Seducing the Sedgwicks) Set in England in 1817. Comfort reread. I felt so aggravated by the time I finished the 4th book of the Parasol Protectorate I needed something I knew I was going to love. Since I had just recommended this to someone, I decided it […]
Heartless (2011) Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate) Set in Alternate London in 1874 OK. Fine. Whatever. I finished it. Alexia is about to have her baby any minute now, and the vampires are still trying to kill her. So the solution everyone comes up with: the baby with be adopted by Lord Akeldama. And Alexia and […]
Blameless (2010) Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate) Set in England in the alternate 1873 As the end of the previous book still made me angry, even knowing what was coming, I immediately started reading this book, to see how I felt about the resolution of the issues from the second book. It was… okay. First problem, […]
Changeless (2010) Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate) Set in alternate England and Scotland in the 1873 I read this when it was published, and the only thing I remembered was the ending, and how extraordinarily angry it made me. So angry, I didn’t read another book by Gail Carriger for years. Alexia is now married to […]
Soulless (2009) Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate) Set in alternate London in Queen Victoria’s reign. Supernatural creatures, especially vampires and werewolves, are influential members of British society, although in the united states they are seen as monsters to barely tolerated, of not outright destroyed. Supernatural creatures, be they vampires, werewolves, or ghosts, owed their existence to […]
How to Marry a Werewolf (2018) Gail Carriger (Claw & Courtship) Set in alternate London in 1896 Faith Wigglesworth is being sent to England to marry a werewolf. They must be desperate to be rid of me, she thought, to be considering werewolves. Or Mother hates werewolves so much, she would use me to punish […]
At Bertram’s Hotel (1965) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) I’m not sure what it is that makes this story feel so weak compared to the others, but it is. Miss Marple gets a vacation to Bertram’s Hotel, but something just isn’t quite right there. “But how can that pay you?” “It’s a question of atmosphere… Strangers […]
A Gentleman Never Keeps Score (2018) Cat Sebastian (Seducing the Sedgwicks) Set in London in 1817 This is a reread, but one of a different type. I did a group read with several people on the the reddit r/romancebooks, where we read five chapters then chatted about all our thoughts. As may be blindingly obvious […]
The Killings at Badger’s Drift (1987) Caroline Graham (Chief Inspector Barnaby) I’d initially forgotten just how messed up this story is. Then once we were introduced to all the characters, I clearly remembered who did the murdering and why. The opening is actually sweet. An 80-year-old woman and her best friend have a long running […]
Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders (2019) Tessa Arlen (A Woman of WWII Mystery) Set in England 1942 Poppy Redfern trained to become ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Warden for the the village of Little Buffenden. She likes being able to help out and do her part for the war–especially now the Americans have entered the […]
A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder (2020) Dianne Freeman (Countess of Harleigh Mystery) Set in England in 1899. Frances, Countess of Harleigh, was thinking she might be able to relax a bit, however her sister and her fiancee insist their wedding be moved up, so Frances is suddenly off to the country, to turn […]
Why Shoot a Butler? (1933) Georgette Heyer This story was all over the place. Barrister Frank Amberley gets lost taking a shortcut to visit his aunt and uncle, and comes upon a car alongside the road, and a young woman beside it. A closer look find a man dead in the drivers seat, and the […]
Let Your Heart Be Light (2019) J.R. Lawrie This is a collection of three short stories, two of which are about the same couple. Kind Of A Big Deal For Services Rendered The Farringdon Club This first story is “Kind Of A Big Deal” features Zack, who is a stand-up comedian, and Richard, who is […]
A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder (2019) Dianne Freeman (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery) Set in London in 1899. I have officially decided this series is delightful. I leaned toward her as we walked out. “Very well done, dear. But a ranch in Brooklyn? What were you thinking?” She released a merry laugh. “That […]
The Unfinished Clue (1934) Georgette Heyer Sir Arthur Billingham-Smith and his wife Fay are throwing a house party. Except that the general didn’t want to have the party, doesn’t want to see his son and the woman he wants to marry, and is pretty much a complete bastard. He dislikes his son almost as much […]
A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder (2018) Dianne Freeman (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery) Set in England in 1899 Frances Wynn, Countess of Harleigh, is finally done with her mourning and is more than ready to move on with her life. When her husband died a year ago, he managed to be an even […]
A Christmas Dance (2014) Alissa Johnson Set in London in an indeterminate time. William Renwick, Earl of Casslebury needs a wife. He knows his is disciplined, so he hopes to find a woman who smile and laugh. But he wasn’t in need of additional efficiency in his house. He was drowning in efficiency. He was […]
The Shattered Tree (2016) Charles Todd (Bess Crawford) Set in France in 1918. Bess Crawford is back towards the front when a soldier in a French uniform is brought in, suffering from blood loss, his feet torn up because someone stole his boots before he fled across no-man’s land. But when the soldier unconsciously yells […]
A Pattern of Lies (2015) Charles Todd (Bess Crawford) Set in England and France in 1918. Stuck in Canterbury waiting for a transport train to take her to London, Bess meets a soldier she had helped nurse back to health. Invited to spend the night with his family when the train is further delayed, she […]
Tales: Short Stories Featuring Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford (2015) Charles Todd This collection is four short stories with Bess Crawford and Ian Rutledge. “The Kidnapping” “The Girl on the Beach” “Cold Comfort” “The Maharani’s Pearls” “The Kidnapping” – Ian Rutledge, London 1920 I actually have a copy of this short story, but it had […]
The Deserted Heart (2018) Mary Lancaster (Unmarriageable) Bringing her brothers home from school, a thick fog forces them to stop at an inn. But they enter to discover not a soul around, even though the doors were unlocked and everything inside looked normal. Since it is too dangerous to continue, they settled in, and are […]
Everything I Ever Wanted (2003/2015) Jo Goodman (The Compass Club Series) Set in England in 1818 Matthew Forrester, Viscount Southerton and his four friends created the Compass Club when they were in school together, based upon the titles it was possible they could (but were unlikely to) inherit. India Parr is a stage actress of […]
No Wind of Blame (1939) Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hemingway) Ermyntrude Carter married Wally Carter, but has come to regret doing so, as Wally isn’t a great human. Yet Ermyntrude and her daughter Vicki Fanshawe, and Wally and his ward (and cousin) Mary Cliffe lived together on the money Ermyntrude inherited from her fist husband. Although […]
The Rook (2012) Daniel O’Malley (The Checquy Files) I love this story so much. (T)he most effective psychics are the ones who never realize they’re psychic and instead manage to live excellent lives by consistently making the right decisions. Their powers effectively guide them through the shoals of life without their knowing. So very very […]
Iron & Velvet (2013/2019) Alexis Hall (Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator) Kate Kane is a paranormal private investigator, called when something goes wrong i the supernatural world. She’s called out to Velvet–an expensive nightclub–to investigate the exsanguiation of a werewolf in the back alley. It doesn’t look like he had been killed by a vampire, but […]
The Duke Who Didn’t (2020) Courtney Milan (Wedgeford Trials) Set in England in 1891. Chloe Fong may have spent time pining, but she is certainly not doing so any longer. She is going to help her father sell his sauce and get back at the men who stole his formula and left him with nothing. […]
Best Laid Plaids (2020) Ella Stainton (Kilty Pleasures) Set in Scotland in 1928. Well, I’ve now completely ruined my search history, trying to find when top and bottom were first used as gay slang. And the worst part is, I didn’t find the answer. Joachim Cockburn fought in WWI. He’s now trying to finish his […]
The Bone Jar (2016) Candace Robb (Owen Archer) Set in York, possibly in 1366. It’s not stated when this story is set, but with Lucie being pregnant, and Owen worried about how the child will react to him, I’m guessing it’s set around the time of The Nun’s Tale. Magda has to leave, and asks […]
A Conspiracy of Wolves (2019) Candace Robb (Owen Archer) Set in York in 1374 It’s been a year since Archbishop Thoresby died. Owen has spent the intervening time on the estate he was gifted because of Thoresby, but now both Prince Edward and York want him to decide what he is going to do. York […]
Boyfriend Material (2020) Alexis Hall I don’t care that I just read this. I managed to hold off before re-reading, and then tore through it, no better able to put it down in a second read than it was on the first read. In fact, I’m lucky I didn’t just go back to the beginning […]
A Vigil of Spies (2008) Candace Robb (Owen Archer) Set in England in 1373. Archbishop Thoresby of York is dying. There is about to be a power vacuum in York, and various power brokers are trying to influence the selection of his successor. Princess Joan, married to the heir to the English Throne, has come […]
The Deadly Hours (2020) Susanna Kearsley, Anna Lee Huber, Christine Trent, C.S. Harris Theses are four novellas, each connected by a cursed time piece. “Weapon of Choice” by Susanna Kearsley “In a Fevered Hour” by Anna Lee Huber “A Pocketful of Death” by Christine Trent “Siren’s Call” by C.S. Harris “Weapon of Choice” by Susanna […]
A Pretty Deceit (2020) Anna Lee Huber (Verity Kent) Set in England in 1919 Verity and Sidney are still searching for evidence of the crimes they know were committed by Lord Ardmore, but in the meantime, Verity’s parents guilt her into visiting her aunt, whose house had been damaged by the RAF soldiers living there […]
Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection (2020) Ben Aaronovitch This is a collection of Rivers of London short stories. About half the stories are are Peter stories, the others features other characters from the world, including Abigail and Dominic Croft (from Foxglove Summer). PART ONE: THE PETER GRANT STORIES The […]
Secrets in the Mist (2016) Anna Lee Huber (Gothic Myths) Set in England in 1812. Ella Winterton has been struggling since her brother died. Her mother’s death troubled her father, but after her brother died fighting France, her father descended into alcoholism–an open secret that Ella can’t admit even to her best friend. Why could […]
For Real (2018) Alexis Hall (Spires) This was really really not my thing. Yet I couldn’t stop reading. Laurence Dalziel has grown weary of the local BDSM scene. It gives him some of what he needs–but so much else of what he wants is nowhere to be found. So it is as much a shock […]
Glitterland (2018) Alexis Hall (Spires) I kept reading the synopsis of this story and thinking, “I don’t know if this is my kind of story.” But I utterly adored Boyfriend Material as well as Waiting for the Flood, so I decided to try it. It opens with a the aftermath of a one-night-stand and the […]