Trust no-one!

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The Cutthroat Countess (Wicked Women of Whitechapel #3) by Minerva Spencer     

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


A mantra Blade (Josephine Brown) has lived with for years. Not for her the usual upbringing! Death and violence, hiding, travelling great distances in dangerous places, have all been her way of life. This is the final in the ‘Wicked Women of Whitechapel’ series.

I find Blade the most fascinating of Spencer’s Farnham’s Fantastical Female Fayre ladies. She’s always been distant and mysterious, accompanied by her Raven Angus, disappearing from time to time, then turning up unexpectedly.

As for Elliot Wingate, he’s equally as admirable, intelligent and solid. Fourth son of an earl he’s been an effective English, able to blend in perfectly no matter the situation, as Blade attests.

Jo (Blade) is lethal with the various knives she always has about her person.

Her tame raven Angus is wonderfully eccentric (if birds can be that), and appears to be quite fond of Elliot.

Jo, with her father Mungo (now deceased) had been working for various clients across Europe, during the Napoleonic Wars on highly confidential matters. 

Just after the war the Fayre travels to Prussia, acting as a front for the Duke of Stanton and his friends, who are following a lead about the Duke’s brother. He’d gone missing whilst an intelligence officer with Wellington.

Jo is there with the Fayre, working as a knife thrower, but also on other business. When Elliot is captured by the Red Caps, ex militia who now, in the war torn aftermath, terrorised the locals. Fortunately she’s able to rescue him from these vicious rebels. 

As the story unfolds we learn more about Blade and her past life. Then information comes to light that smacks her right in the face, leaving her reeling.

Wow! Will Elliot rise to the occasion or will he revert to being the typical idiotic Englishman?

Intrigue, suspense and humor dog the pages for a startling, yet not surprising reveal.


A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.

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