The September Society (2008) Charles Finch Set in England in 1866 This is the second Charles Lennox mystery; I’d picked up much of the series on sale as ebooks, so since I’d read the first (and second) books years ago, I felt okay picking up the series here. I also remembered that I wasn’t enamored […]
A Gift for Guile (2016) Alissa Johnson Set in London in 1872 This is the second book in the Thief-Takers series, and follows the second sister, Esther, and the private investigator, Samuel Brass. Esther has sneaked into London, and is caught at underground by the Samuel Brass, who ruins the meeting she was getting ready […]
Lady of the Ashes (2013) Christine Trent Set in London in 1861 Violet Morgan is the wife of an undertaker who has joined her husband in his job, because she discovered she is very good at it. However, over time her husband’s obsession with the United States beings to cause problems for their marriage, as […]
The Mystery Woman (2013) Amanda Quick Beatrice Lockwood fled the Academy of the Occult after the death of her mentor, Roland Fleming. She now is employed as an agent by Flint & Marsh. Joshua Gage had been an agent for the Crown, before his injury in the line of duty, and he doesn’t believe in […]
A Talent for Trickery (2015) Alissa Johnson Set in England in 1872 I somehow missed writing this one up last month, so here it is now. I am not sure about the accuracy of the term “Gentleman Thief Taker” since the thief-takers were replaced by Bow Street in the mid 1700s, and Bow Street was […]
A Soupçon of Poison (2015) Ashley Gardener Set in London in 1880 Kat Holloway is a cook for Sir Lionel Leigh-Bradbury, and although the position isn’t ideal in pay, he agreed to her request for an unusual number of days out, so she stays, even when he begins to make unusual and ridiculous demands. But […]
Unlocked (2011) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1840. Evan Carlton, Earl of Westfeld behaved so badly during Lady Elaine Warren first season that he left the country and spent 10 years on the continent mountain climbing. Lady Elaine Warren was so badly bullied her first season that even ten years later she has not […]
Proof by Seduction (2010) Courtney Milan Set in London in April 1838 Jenny Keeble has set herself up as a fortuneteller, and has done well for herself, until Gareth Carhart, Marquess of Blakely shows up with his cousin Ned. Blakely believes in nothing that he cannot see and touch. And he really does not believe […]
Unraveled (2011) Courtney Milan Set in Bristol. October 1843 Smite Turner is a very difficult person. First off, he was named Smite by his mother (or rather, a long biblical verse for which Smite was how it was shortened). He is the most damaged of the brothers, Ash having escaped to go make his fortune, […]
Unclaimed (2011) Courtney Milan Set in London and Shepton Mallet, in 1841 Sir Mark Turner was knighted for his popular work on morality, however, neither he nor anyone else expected this popularity and what would come along with it–adoring crowds, jealous individuals, and random people trying to make money off his popularity. Why was it […]
Unveiled (2011) Courtney Milan Set in Somerset, August 1837 I started this and put it back down several times, because I was unsure about the premise. But I eventually got through the first chapter, and fell right into the story. Margaret Dalrymple lost everything to Ash Turner–her home, her title, her legitimacy. So when she […]
Talk Sweetly to Me (2014) Courtney Milan Set in Greenwich, November 1882 Miss Rose Sweetly is a shop-keepers daughter and a mathematical genius who is currently working as a computer at the Royal Observatory. She is also keeping her pregnant sister company while her husband is away on a tour of duty. (H)e picked up […]
The Heiress Effect (2013) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1867. This is another good book, but also not quite as good as The Countess Conspiracy. But it was good. “Is it something I said?” Jane asked. And if so, which sentence? Oliver makes many mistakes, but you know he’s going to do the right […]
A Kiss for Midwinter (2012) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1863. Jonas Grantham is a doctor–it has been his dream. And once he became a doctor, he vowed never to allow anyone to act against his principles as he did when a doctor he was following all but attempted to murder the pregnant young […]
The Duchess War (2012) Courtney Milan .Set in England in 1863 Another re-read, and although good, I don’t love it as much as the Countess Conspiracy. But not for lack of trying on the part of the story. “I’ve never seen this before. And it’s really not my sort of thing.” For one thing, she […]
The Suffragette Scandal (2014) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1877. Edward Clark has allowed his family to think him dead–only fitting since his younger brother all but had him killed. Unfortunately, that same younger brother is now going after one of the men Clark considers to be his true family, so Clark has returned […]
The Countess Conspiracy (2013) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1867. I really REALLY love this story. And I loved it just as much if not more the second time through, since I was just waiting for the awesome bits. There was nothing shameful about the figure Sebastian was pointing to, not unless one harbored […]
Once Upon a Marquess (2015) Courtney Milan Set in London in 1866 Judith Worth has been holding her siblings together as best she can, after there family was ruined by Christian Trent, the Marquess of Ashford. Except that Christian didn’t set out to ruin anyone, he just needed to do what was right. One thing […]
Dangerous to Know (2010) Tasha Alexander Set in ~1892 Recovering from the events of the previous book, Emily and Colin go to Normandy, to his mother’s house. Which turns out to be far more problematic than either expected. I’m done with this series for now. The stories are intersting, the mysteries are good, and I […]
Tears of Pearl (2009) Tasha Alexander Set in Europe in 1892 There are many problematic things with this story. I liked the historical bits, but the way Lady Emily was let into the Harem etc just seemed a bit far fetched, and I also had difficulty believing Emily actions regarding the harem. Yes, she rebels […]
A Fatal Waltz (2008) Tasha Alexander Set in 1891 This finds Lady Emily, Ivy, and others at a political house party–a party where the host is making it quite clear he will do everything in his powers to break Emily’s engagement to Colin. That was my least favorite part of the story–the whole Emily isn’t […]
A Poisoned Season (2007) Tasha Alexander Set in London ~1890 The mystery here involves the supposed son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and a thief who seems to specialize in articles once owned by the former queen. I do enjoy the dialog in this series. “And, Emily”—he grew serious—“if you ever…if Hargreaves doesn’t…if you […]
And Only to Deceive (2005) Tasha Alexander Set in England (and Paris) ~1889 The first time I read this book (soon after its publication) I didn’t like it. I felt it was more romance than mystery, and I wasn’t interested in reading a kissing book. Upon later reading, knowing what I was going to be […]
The Duchess War (2012) Courtney Milan This is the first(ish) book in the series, and the third book I read. Wilhelmina Pursling has a past she is desperately hiding from. She’s changed her name and hidden with obscurity with her two great-aunts, and pushed down everything she once was, to avoid any whisper that might […]
The Heiress Effect (2013) Courtney Milan The is book two of the Brothers Sinister trilogy, and the second book I read, however, I started with book three. So, backwards. Miss Jane Fairfield is a wealthy heiress who is supposedly seeking a husband, however, she’s doing everything she possible can to let any man get close […]