Publishers Weekly
07/26/2021
In Penrose’s swashbuckling if uneven fifth Wrexford and Sloane mystery set in Regency England (after 2020’s Murder at Queen’s Landing), Lady Charlotte Sloane has finally agreed to marry the Earl of Wrexford, and for their first outing as an engaged couple, Charlotte and the earl attend a lecture by American botanist Josiah Becton at London’s Royal Botanic Gardens. Becton has made a momentous scientific breakthrough, but before he can share his discovery, he’s found dead in the solarium. The head of Becton’s American delegation believes the botanist was murdered for his formula and asks Wrexford to investigate. The earl is reluctant, until he and Charlotte learn their young ward, Hawk, was in the solarium when Becton died and may have seen—or been seen by—the killer. Too many plot threads and character backstories that have little to do with the murder inquiry muddle the book’s first half, but the story picks up nicely in the middle and roars to an exciting climax, followed by a sweet denouement. Historical fans will have fun. Agent: Gail Fortune, Fortune Talbot Agency. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Andrea Penrose’s Wrexford & Sloane Mystery Series
“A Regency lady with a hidden past joins forces with an irritable aristocrat to solve a dastardly series of crimes…[Charlotte’s] burgeoning awareness of her love for Wrexford is just one of many unpredictable complications in the search for a clever and ruthless killer. Science and romance meet in a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game.” —Kirkus Reviews
"Compelling...an intricately plotted mystery set in Regency England. Its complex story line and authentic historical details bring the early days of the Industrial Revolution vividly to life. Bound to fascinate readers of C.S. Harris and even fans of Victorian mysteries." —Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW for Murder at Half Moon Gate
“[Penrose] mixes well thought out mysteries, early forensic science, great details of the era and a slow burning attraction creating a compulsive read.” —The New York Public Library
“Fascinating and well-researched historic events… a colorful depiction of Regency England.” —Publishers Weekly on Murder at the Serpentine Bridge
“Andrea Penrose is skillful at incorporating the scientific discoveries of the day into her plots.”—Criminal Element on Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens
"Penrose deftly intertwines the politics of navigating Regency-era society, scientific progress, and the deepening relationship between the protagonists. Series fans will enjoy revisiting the lively cast of characters, while historical fiction readers will be satisfied by the immersive, richly detailed mystery." —Library Journal on Murder at Kensington Palace
“An unusually rich look at Regency life.” —Publishers Weekly on Murder at Kensington Palace
“This book is very suspenseful and takes many turns, as the clues point first to one person, then another. Penrose is excellent at conveying the details of early 19th-century science and experiments with electricity. This was the era of Frankenstein, after all. The relationship between Wrexford and Charlotte is further developed in this book, and I am looking forward to seeing where it leads next.” —Historical Novel Society on Murder at Kensington Palace
"Andrea Penrose masterfully weaves the numerous plotlines of Murder at Kensington Palace into a scintillating whole." —Criminal Element on Murder at Kensington Palace
Kirkus Reviews
2021-06-29
The fast-approaching nuptials of a couple with many secrets are threatened with delay by yet another murder in Penrose's latest Regency mystery.
Although Lady Charlotte Sloane’s relationship with the Earl of Wrexford has been fraught with problems, they’re finally preparing to marry when a well-known scientist dies at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. Wrexford is called to the scene by Dr. Hosack, an American friend of the deceased who suspects that it was poison and not a weak heart that killed Mr. Becton, who was about to announce a great advance in anti-malarial medicines. One of Charlotte’s wards witnessed the killer’s departure, but his inability to identify him leaves the witness in possible danger. After the sleuthing pair discover that one of their most vicious enemies may be involved, they decide to investigate despite the bad timing. Becton had planned to offer his cure for free, but others are eager to steal the formula and sample in order to turn a profit. Luckily, many friends who have helped the couple in past cases are willing to pitch in again to investigate a complicated puzzle that features more than one group of villains. The fact that Great Britain and the United States are on the brink of war drags politics into the mix as well.
A bit of Regency-period romance and history enhance a convoluted mystery with plenty of derring-do.