eyes.2c Reviews

Death at the Manor  (Lily Adler Mystery #3) by Katharine Schellman ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lily Adler once again has her hands full. This time investigating the ghost of Belleford Manor. And surprise, surprise, the matriarch of the Manor is found dead in her bed.  The widowed lady sleuth is taken with their neighbor Mathew Spencer and this holiday in Hampshire is a chance to get to know him better. Which she does. But what about the Captain? … some would ask, indeed I ask the same! However now our regency lady detective has something to get her teeth into, a haunting and a murder. Who knows what else will happen? Except the investigation, the clues, the raison d’être has little of the excitement and adventure I was looking for. All a bit ho hum really. Maybe the next in the series will be more defining. I hope so! A Crooked Lane Books ARC via NetGalley.                                         ...

A Reputation Dies (The Rutherford Trilogy #1)   by Alice Chetwynd Ley     I've read quite a few of Chetwynd Ley's works in the past, so when the chance came to revisit her writings, I took it and wasn't disappointed. A spiteful ton member, Mr Marmaduke Yarnton , of the mellifluous voice (I love that!), who holds his place with gossip, innuendo and malicious hints, has, it seems has finally gone too far. He is found strangled at  the fashionable Lady Windlesham's soirée. Admittedly, the Lady wanted her event to be of note, but not quite in this tenor.  The thing is just before he is found dead, the newlywed Lord Velmond had taken exception to some of Yarnton's baiting and threatened him. Ergo, Velmond is suspect no. 1. A chance meeting with his friend Justin Rutherford has Velmond requesting his assistance to help clear his name. The Honorable Justin is rather an interesting character. I do like his humor and his self deprecating manner. He's just so ...

Midnight on the River Grey by Abigail Wilson       A young woman who has fears of descending into madness like her mother, a dead older brother, a mysterious guardian, a supportive aunt and a rather cute small dog all figure in this Regency mystery. Things come together when Rebecca Hunter is forced to leave London to stay with her now guardian Mr. Lewis Browning at the large and inhospitable Greybourne Hall. It appears that in this supposedly safe place, death doesn't stop with Rebecca's brother, Jacob. Just after her arrival, a friend of Lewis' is found dead under the bridge nearly in the same spot as Jacob was discovered. Couple that with, rumors about Lewis' clandestine moonlight rides are doing the rounds of the village. (Rebecca has witnessed evidence of these). The talk is so strong that the locals call Lewis the Midnight Devil. Then there's the widow of Lewis brother, Isabell, her rakish brother Adam who leave in the Dowager residence and the neighb...

Hanging Psalm, The: A Regency Mystery set in Leeds (A Simon Westow Mystery #1) by Chris Nickson                                  I'm loving the lead character Simon Westow and in particular his assistant Jane. A damaged young woman who does what she has to survive on the dark streets of the underbelly of Regency 1820's Leeds. Simon, a thief-taker has been asked to find businessman John Milner's kidnapped daughter Hannah. The taking of Hannah leads Simon and Jane down some twisted paths and into the path of a wholly unexpected enemy. A gripping story of revenge and corruption. The character of Jane is fascinating. Can she become more or is she destined to a life lived within the confines of her traumatic past, allowing it to define her? Exciting read! A NetGalley ARC *****

Lord of Fortune (Legendary Rogues #3) by   Darcy Burke              Ok, I'm so glad I followed this up after reading a great review. I loved it! I loved Amelia Gardiner and Penn Bowen. I loved the whole mystery of the thirteen treasures associated with the Arthurian legends. "The Thirteen Treasures were items gathered by Arthur and his knights for one of their own—Gareth—so that he could win his bride.” Of course Glastonbury gets a mention! The beginning dives straight into the mystery of two particular treasures the Heart of Llanllwch and an iron dagger, which features in the elusive Legend of Ranulf and Hilaria. Penn is bent on proving that these two artifacts are actually fake. Amelia, as it turns out is the granddaughter of the man responsible for finding these two treasures. She is just as determined to prove they are the real deal. We swing right into action from the first moment, as our dare devil hero and treasure h...

Murder at Half Moon Gate (A Wrexford and Sloane Mystery #2)   by Andrea Penrose Another satisfyingly brilliant novel that follows the Earl of Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane and their small circle of unlikely and very likeable characters into the depths of the rookeries and dark places of London. Wrexford, seemingly diamond hard and astute, a man of Science and logic, with a softer side he hardly dares acknowledge. Charlotte and her double life as the leading satirical caricaturist A.J. Quill, still harboring her own deeply held secrets, always struggling for anonymity and keeping to the shadows. And of course, the weasels, Raven and Hawk, the unlikely guttersnipes that have captured my heart just like they've won Charlotte's, and dare I say Wrexford's if he'd own to having one. This time, as Penrose declaims in her wonderful author's note, " steam engines lie at the heart of the mystery" and this  exacting duo and their comrades follow murde...

Dashing All the Way: A Christmas Anthology by Celeste Bradley, Eva Devon, Elizabeth Essex, Heather Snow Nary a story flagged! 5 star holiday season romances with a touch of spice and a dash of cheer that are all excellent inclusions centering around Christmas time in one way or another. From house parties to balls, to situations of intrigue where the stakes are high and the games deadly. Whilst the Eva Devon story did not have as much in common as the others, the central theme continues of female character who is an extraordinary woman looking to take unusual steps. A Rake for Christmas by Eva Devon  Beautifully told story of the meeting of a rake ( Anthony Basingstoke)  and a wallflower (Lady Evangeline Pennyworth), a rake afraid of love and a wallflower unseen until he 'saw' her. What Evangeline wants is to be desirable, and to Anthony she is just that. But he knows the destruction of love. As a child he experienced the chaotic passion and discord of his pare...

Murder on Black Swan Lane  (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery #1) by Andrea Penrose Reading the first couple of pages of this new series I gave a 'Ho Hum'. Except, those Ho's and Hum's soon turned into 'Oh My's. All I can say is that this new Regency Mystery is masterful--a page turner! The Earl of Wrexford, a brilliant man of science, doesn't suffer fools gladly and has been carrying on a damning, acerbic public conversatio with the  Reverend Josiah Holworthy. When Holworthy is found with his throat cut and his face disfigured by chemicals, the Earl  is suspected of his murder. His case is not helped by the cleverly penned caricatures from the caustic artist A.J. Quill that hit the London streets featuring the very public fight between the two men. Widowed Charlotte Sloane is a talented and clever caricaturist always looking for someone to skewer with her rapier pen work in broadsheet illustrations, created under the name of  A.J. Quill, the p...

From London with Love (Rebellious Brides  #3)   by  Diana Quincy                             'He was no Prince Charming. More like Prince Misery and Disappointment.' Interesting if somewhat harsh words for someone who thinks they're saving your life! Jilted and left at the altar five years earlier, Emilia St. George is sure that this time her marriage to the grandson to a Duke, Honorable Edmund Worsely, will go without a hitch. That is until Emilia's former fiancée jiltee, Hamilton Sparrow turns up at the wedding and kidnaps her just as she's about to walk down the aisle. Sparrow, a former spy for the crown had spotted an assassin in the wedding crowd, and he appears to be tracking Emilia. Sparrow needs to get Emilia out of there, even if he does have to 'scoop her off her feet, and toss her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.' Mind you, Emilia has had the mantra, 'You ...

A Duke to Remember (A Season for Scandal #2)   by  Kelly Bowen I've read about about the practice of confining nuscience relatives or those whose demise would be profitable for the less scrupulous relatives to Bedlam in other novels. Obviously in real life it was a not so rare occurence. It certainly makes for a masterful opening scene here. I find the characters and the situation intriguing. Elsie DeVries has a longer story hinted at--still deep waters. By night an actress and by day (or other times) she works for an agency that solves potentially scandalous situations surrounding the aristocracy. (I love the invention of such an agency. Doubtless it could have been used in that Downton Abbey episode with the death of the Russian in Lady Mary's bed!) Noah Ellery is a gift. The air sparks between these two right from the get go. But Elsie has a job to do for Chegarre & Associates. Find the Duke of Ashland and bring him home before assassins find him T...

The Lady's Command (The Adventurers Quartet)   by Stephanie Laurens Reading Lauren's works over the years, the notion of marriage and what factors contribute to bring two people together in a strong relationship that grows over time has surely been a central theme. With  The Lady's Command that theme is given voice. It is overt. We are taken from a different beginning into uncharted territory. I must admit that it took me a moment to be drawn into this more explicit direction. We are not starting from the across a crowded room beginning. We are starting from the happily ever after, riding off into the sunset with your prince/princess beside you, place. Unusual, invigorating even! When  Captain Declan Frobisher is called upon to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a crown spy in the West African port of Freetown shortly after his marriage to Lady Edwina Delbraith, he envisages that his wife would stay at home guarding home and hearth. Annoying as it ...

An Egyptian Affair (The Regent Mysteries Book 4)  by Cheryl Bolen Captain Jack Dryden and his wife Lady Daphne Dryden are off on a dangerous mission for the Prince Regent. The place Cairo, the goal,  investigating the fate of a missing antiques dealer--friend to the Prince and the artifact that was being sought on behalf of the Prince.  Jack would like to keep his wife safely at home. Daphne is already picturing the romance and manifest mysteries of the alluring Egypt. The Prince Regent includes soldiers to protect the party and one Stanton Maxwell, a foremost Egyptology scholar. Daphne is persuaded to bring her younger sister Rosemary, an Egyptian enthusiast. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the hot sands of Egypt encasing the reader as events race alongside opposing reports by British inhabitants, murder, kidnapping and romance. One can picture the bustling humanity of the bazaars and the dark threat of alleyways. I enjoyed Jack and Daphne as a couple, their int...

I Spy a Duke (Covert Heiresses #1) by Erica Monroe   Heart wrenching from the opening scenes. My sympathies went out to James Spencer as he contemplated his failures with regard to his sister's safety. His pain, his feelings of awful responsibility for her death are palpable. Louise's last words 'protect them' have burnt themselves into his heart. But will they become a hindrance if his memories lead him to hesitate? A covert agent with Clocktower, a highly secret organization within the Alien Office , James Spencer, the Duke of Abermont has to marry in order to maintain his cover. Not just a covert agent but the Spymaster, the Mastermind behind the organization--The Falcon. This is the true family business and has been for generations. Vivian Loren is searching for answers to her brother's death. Her placement in the Dukes household as governess is not by accident. Unwittingly she has become a pawn in the hands of Sauveterre, Louise's torturer and a dea...

A School for Unusual Girls: A Stranje House Nove l by Kathleen Baldwin  Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam, 'Georgie', is made of stern stuff, a brave heart and a thirst for scientific investigation and invention. Given that her latest experiment (for a very good cause) burnt down her father's stables, the family decided that she needed stern discipline. Georgie finds herself. Carted off to Stranje House operated by the stern headmistress Emma Stranje, by her unforgiving parents, Georgie is abandoned to her fate.  In her attempt to escape she overhears the dashing Lord Sebastian Wyatt talking about the need for the invisible ink she was attempting to recreate. What's this! All of Georgie's conceptions are turned on their head and she finds herself caught up in the pre-Napoleonic escape from Elba world of espionage! Now her talents are put to the test as is her ability to believe in herself and to face the idea that she might be loveable. The challenge of Georgie a...

Fool's Paradise: A Lady Priscilla Flanders Mystery by Jo Ann Ferguson  Talk about a volatile beginning. Quite country walks denied, a muddy, rollicking puppy being controlled by an equally minded energetic young son, a stubborn daughter in the throws of wedding plans, demanding guests arriving a day earlier than planned and then a plea for help to locate and 'save [his missing] daughter's soul' from a less than pleasant neighbouring baron. And it doesn't stop there for Lady Priscilla Hathaway Flanders. Requests from a highly placed source, possibly close to the throne, had Pris and her husband, the newly minted baron, Lord Neville Flanders, looking for a reason to travel to the northern parts of the Lake District where Lord Beamish's daughter was last seen. The missing daughter is the very excuse needed. Neville's recent elevation came with an estate in that area. So there are now two excuses to repair to that area. Neville has been tasked with uncove...

A Dangerous Madness (Regency London #3) by Michelle Diener London, May 1812: Political intrigue, the assassination of the Prime Minister, treachery in high places, a broken engagement and a fiancé fled abroard. Two people will become involved. Miss Phoebe Hillier, the jilted fiancé, and James the Duke of Whittaker. Whitehall is looking for culprits in the upper echelons of society and James is their man sent to find out the truth. Are there others pulling the strings, orchestrating events, or did the man, John Bellingham simply do it by himself. I was caught up in the mystery by the third page and well and truly hooked by the time Phoebe and Whittaker met and interacted.        Phoebe, our wealthy heiress is unexpected. Seemingly tractable, she is actually delightfully strong and intelligent, a woman of her times who bowed down to the inevitable force of family and duty. With her fiancé fled her world is beginning to unravel in interesting ways. Time for her t...

After the Scandal (The Reckless Brides #4) by Elizabeth Essex   Wow! Tanner and Claire! Wonderful stuff!  Foolishly going for a stroll on the terrace, Lady Claire Jellicoe is attacked by her escort, Lord Peter Rosing. Tanner Evans, ninth Duke of Fenmore, rescues Claire from the would-be rapist. Together they escape the frightening reality of the situation and Tanner takes her by punt along the Thames to relax. Only they discover a body. It is the lady's maid, Maisy Carter that Claire had used at Tanner's grandmother's house party. Claire doesn't want to return to the party and Tanner wants her safe. Even before he met her he'd been 'devoted to this exquisite orchid of a young woman.' He'd loved her from afar, madly and secretly. Tanner and Claire continue their trip to Chelsea to try to uncover more information about the dead maid. This is only the beginning. As the story progresses we see the vulnerability of Tanner and the strength beneath t...

A Dangerous Invitation (The Rookery Rogues) by Erica Monroe  Not your usual regency romance! No sashaying Ladies and rakish Dukes! Instead the desperation of life on the wrong side of the tracks! Here in the dark underbelly of London, in the depths of rookery we meet those who do what they must to survive. Life in the most sordid of Dicksonian conditions.  Kate grew up in and out of her fathers shipping company in the docks of London. Daniel worked his way up in the company to become her father's assistant. The two were engaged. A man, Tommy Dalton, was murdered and Daniel, drunk on gin, was accused. A friend helped Daniel escape and now three years later He has returned to the Rookery to try and prove his innocence, and to find the woman he's never stopped loving.  Kate's life is very far from what he had imagined. Her father's business failed, and with his death, she was left destitute on the streets. Deserted by her friends, she was a woman alone in the most d...

What a Gentleman Desires (The Redgraves #3) by Kasey Michaels A return to Regency England with the threat of a Bonaparte inspired invasion all too real! A family's investigation into its duplicitous, treasonous and debauched past, relating to an organization called the Society. Leading the investigation here is Valentine Redgrave, youngest brother of the Earl of Saltwood. Michaels describes him as 'outwardly dangerous as a dandelion.' Delicious!  Enter Miss Daisy Marchant, 'governess-on-a-mission.' The two come into contact at a house party held by Lord Charles Mailer, debauched martinet, cad, and possible member of The Society. Daisy wonders, 'Was Valentine a badly needed ally, or an exceedingly clever foe?' Valentine mistakenly believes Daisy is a government spy sent by Downing Street. He is not amused. Mystery and darkness surrounds The Society. It's membership, it's purpose, it's monthly meetings. Young women are disappearing, wives hav...

A Lady's Secret Weapon (Nexus series #3) by Tracey Devlyn English nobleman, Ethan deBeau, Lord Danforth, notorious rake and Nexus spy has been set upon. Badly beaten he is rescued by a mysterious figure, The Spectre. His wounds are attended to by a maid. Charged with finding a young boy, an English traitor Lord Latymer, and a French spymaster LaRouche, Danforth's search places him within the orbit of one Sydney Hunt. The puzzling thing is that he comes across her posing as an empty headed do-gooder at a place of interest, Abbingale Home, an orphanage for boys. Nexus it seems is a secret spy organization hidden in the bowels of the English Foreign Office dedicated to protecting English shores from forays by Bonaparte's agents tasked to prepare England for a successful French invasion. Sydney Hunt, is in actuality a benefactor and reformer who heads up an employment agency as part of her cover to help those who find themselves in need due to the extreme, careless and often...