Mystery in the Fens

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

1881, and the World's End Investigation Bureau had a huge win in their previous case but now their work has trickled say to almost nothing. Lily Raynor, owner of the agency is concerned.  Felix Wilbraham her only employee is wondering if he'll still have employment. Just as these worries are hurtling upon them they are visited by Georgiana Long, a school teacher, asking them to investigate runaway girls from the school she's been teaching at. Something is wrong.
Shardlowes School is situated out in the Fens. It caters for girls who are either from wealthy families from abroad who are left there until it's finally time for them to return home, or girls who have for some reason or other, been placed by their families out of sight and rarely visited.
Lily goes to investigate in the guise of a new Assistant Matron. Suddenly we see Lily as she once was, a very competent nurse. (This becomes a chance for us to learn more about Lily and her past demons. Almost the more interesting part of this story--uncovering Lily. And that's what lifted this from a four to five star read for me.) 
Danger is just around the corner as Lily's investigation deepens. A mysterious organization, the "Band of Angels [which] constitutes a group of influential and affluent philanthropists who provide money for the education of the poor," seems related but how, makes no sense.
Once more Felix exceeds our expectations in his thorough and intuitive investigation, his concern for Lily's safety, and his focused abilities.
Clare has given us an interesting duo and their associates to follow and I'm enjoying every minute. On another note, I particularly liked the cover and what it invokes. I look at that and recall Lily's aloneness at the school and the isolation of the school's location, particularly in winter. Ripe for dreadful doings.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley 
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change

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