#wrexford and sloane mystery series

[annafromuni]

Five Historical Fiction Murder Mystery Series To Investigate (And Sherlock Holmes Isn't One Of Them)

I’ve decided to try something new and make book recommendation posts for specific genres and sub-genres that I have read more than a few titles of, that way I can compare these books and/or series to each other without putting one above the rest. The books I recommend are books I genuinely would like you to read and I don’t want to rank them before you’ve had the chance to read them for yourself.…

[bargainsleuthbooks]

#ARCReview Murder at the Merton Library (Wrexford & Sloane #7) by Andrea Penrose #HistoricalMystery #NEWBooks #BookReview #September2023Books #KensingtonBooks #TantorAudio

I really enjoy the #WrexfordandSloane mysteries because of the historical and scientific research #AndreaPenrose puts into her creations. #ARCReview #NetGalley #MurderattheMertonLibrary #KensingtonBooks #TantorAudio #HistoricalMystery #bargainsleuth

Responding to an urgent plea from a troubled family friend, the Earl of Wrexford journeys to Oxford only to find the reclusive university librarian has been murdered and a rare manuscript has gone missing. The only clue is that someone overheard an argument in which Wrexford’s name was mentioned. At the same time, Charlotte—working under her pen name, A. J. Quill—must determine whether a…

[mirai-desu]

Miss Scarlet & The Duke Read-a-likes

I had already started on a post of Miss Scarlet & The Duke read-a-likes before The News, and now I want to prove that hey, you can have historical mysteries with romance and the leads get together! When MSATD first came out I thought, this is like the books love to read! (whoops). The following are series that I feel like, as a librarian, skew closer to the actual original premise (ahem) of MSATD, but aren't the Historical Romance genre (i.e. these books are rated closer to the TV show, when it comes to the steam factor). In these cases, I chose titles that aren't just mysteries but feature the romance prominently, but also aren't just HR with a mystery in the background.

Disclaimer: mileage may vary; for some of these it's been awhile since I've read them and there might be mistakes. There's also a few other series that might work that are on my TBR list, so I might be updating this list in the near future.

Top Picks:

Veronica Speedwell 1880s, London | POV: First person; heroine You've probably seen this book listed as a MSATD read-a-like before, because not only is the time period similar, but so is the dynamic between the leads. The main difference is that the protagonists are actually natural historians and not detectives, and some of the plots are more adventure-like (think "Cell 99") than police cases. If I had to pick one series to rec, it's this one.

Molly Murphy 1900s, New York | POV: First person; heroine While in New York (har har), this series I think has a most general set up to MSATD; a lady detective with an agency that she takes over, and her love interest, a detective with the police force. There's even an Arabella. But don't fret! (ngl, though, this series proves that William wouldn't have an easier time with the NYPD than he does SY… RN might have wanted to do some research…)

Captain Jim & Lady Diana 1890s, India, US, UK | POV: Differs between books, 1st book is more his POV The first book in this series has a more layered approach with the setting of British India (which is fascinating in its own right), but the next two are more in line with MSATD and the other series listed.

Carpenter & Quincannon 1890s, San Francisco | POV: Third person limited, both hero and heroine This series is written by a husband and wife duo (HA), and might be a little confusing to figure out the order given the characters' appearances in their other works, but the actual series linked here is about two former Pinkertons who form their own detective agency together. Some of the cases are a little predictable, and there are a few books where their cases don't intertwine as well as the others, but it's still an enjoyable read of two detectives who make it work both professionally and personally.

Other Picks:

Wrexford & Sloane Regency, London | POV: Third person limited, both hero and heroine The latest volumes actually name check MSATD in their blurbs. I think the feel is slightly different, given the time period and a few other elements that are clear when you start reading them, but they are similar enough that I get the comparison.

Daisy Dalrymple 1920s, UK | POV: Third person limited, both hero and heroine 1920s historical mysteries with romance are a genre all into themselves, but I recommend this series over some of the others because of the HEA. (also tacking this on here: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries is loads better as a TV series, which is why I don't recommend the books).

Inspector Corravan 1870s, London | POV: Third person limited; hero There's only two of this series so far, but I feel like the male lead has shades of William to him.

Athenian Mysteries Ancient Greece | Male POV (from what I remember) This one is off the beaten path compared to the others, but I do recommend it because of the dynamic between the leads and the HEA.

Great series but… the Slow Burn is Still… Slow

Bess Crawford WWI, UK/France | POV: First person; heroine I really do like this series, but I have to have a somewhat spoilery caveat: we are still in the slow burn 13 books in. But I have to recommend it anyway, because there's some striking similarities in that the female lead's father is the mentor to the male lead. I will warn you; there are a few books that he barely appears in. So maybe try this one last lol

Promising Start

Dr. Julia Lewis 1860s, London | POV: Third person limited; hero and heroine + villain My hold on this debut literally showed up the day after I almost finished the post, but I after reading the first one, it's definitely in the same vein (there's also a very overt reference to something that I'm certain is a nod to MSATD...). Looking forward to the next one for sure.

[lakecountylibrary]

I have been enjoying A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales. I love a good murder mystery but have surprisingly enjoyed the setting of Regency-era Britain. Would you be able to provide any recommendations for other novels similar to this?

Certainly! We too love a good historical murder mystery, so several of us have recs for you.

Brenna: The Wrexford & Sloane series by Andrea Penrose takes place in Regency London and is murder mystery on a more cozy-ish scale. Audiobook narrator is excellent! I've listened to them all.

Start with Murder on Black Swan Lake

Sarah: There is Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James, which is a sort of sequel to Pride and Prejudice. It was well-received enough to get its own adaptation on BBC.

Chris (who literally just checked out the audiobook for A Most Agreeable Murder): I would suggest the Dianne Freeman series "Countess of Harleigh Mysteries", starting with A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder.

Happy reading!

[bookwyrmshoard]

My Favorite Books of 2023

I had very few 5-star books this year, but quite a few 4.5-star and 4-star books. I limited this list to books I read for the first time this year (with one exception—an audiobook which I had read in print, over 10 years ago.) I also decided not to base the list entirely on the number of stars I gave each book at the time I read it. Instead, the books on this list are the ones that shine brightest in my memory at the end of the year.

Spinning Silver (Naomi Novik) – 5 stars. Probably the best book I read all year. Not only did I love it, I was also blown away by her mastery of the writing craft.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries (Heather Fawcett; ARC) – 5 stars. Absolutely delightful! Emily Wilde is a grumpy academic who is brilliant at research but terrible with people. When she travels to a remote Scandinavian island to research the local fae, she is drawn in to the townspeople’s lives and troubles, as well as the machinations of the fae. And her charismatic and interfering colleague, Wendell Bambleby, is a complication she neither wants nor needs. Or does she? (reviewed here)

Without a Summer (Mary Robinette Kowal) – 4.5 stars. Third in a historical-fantasy series, and possibly the best yet. Kowal’s magic system (“glamour”) is unique and fascinating, and her use of actual historical events and trends is meticulously researched, but it’s the relationships, particularly between plain Jane and her handsome, highborn husband, that really make the book shine.

An Enchantment of Ravens (Margaret Rogerson) – 4.5 stars (though I may raise it to 5) Enchanting. The Fae are properly fae (unpredictable, tricky, and largely indifferent to human emotions), yet the author made the love story totally convincing.

Identity (Nora Roberts; ARC) – 4.5 stars. Well-written contemporary romantic suspense, but simultaneously a character-driven novel about a woman rebuilding her life after her best friend was murdered and her own identity stolen by a serial killer. All the characters are compelling, and there are strong family relationships on both the hero’s and heroine’s side.

Murder on Black Swan Lane (Andrea Penrose) – 4.5 stars. A strong start to a historical mystery series that became a highlight of my reading year. The Wrexford and Sloane mysteries are set during the Regency era, mostly in London, and involve both high society and the middle and lower classes. There’s a long, slow-burn romantic arc, strong friendships, and found family. I absolutely love them. I’m letting book #1 stand in for the entire series, though book #2 might actually be my favorite by a hair.

The Curse of Penryth Hall (Jess Armstrong; ARC) – 4.5 stars. I would have given this marvelous gothic mystery 5 stars, were it not for the frequent sentence fragments that sometimes threw me out of the story.

Role Playing (Cathy Yardley) – 4.5 stars. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this grumpy-sunshine romance between 50-ish online gamers. The author’s portrayal of both the bi demi hero and the Asian-American single mom heroine is sensitive and perceptive, and the ending is pure satisfaction.

Bound for Perdition (Celia Lake) – 4 stars. Celia Lake‘s historical-fantasy romances are my latest obsession (since 2022). She published 5 (!) novels or novellas in 2023, and Bound for Perdition was my favorite of this year’s releases that can stand on its own. (I should probably add that I reread her entire Albion oeuvre once this year, and reread about 2/3 of the books twice. Something about her characters, setting, and style really appeals to me.)

Hounded (Kevin Hearne; audiobook) – 5 stars. This is the exception to the “new-to-me” books. I read Hounded in paperback about 11 years ago, but listening to it on audiobook was a different and better experience. And as with Andrea Penrose’s mysteries, I’m letting the first audiobook stand in for the rest of the series. (Well, most of them. I’m not quite to the end of the series yet, and book #3 really irritated me, but other than that, I loved them.) (reviewed here)

I am embarrassed at how few of these I actually reviewed. I’ll try to do better in 2024!

[emma-ofnormandy]

Anyone have any reviews on the Wrexford & Sloane series by Andrea Penrose?

Quite interested in starting this as I have been on a regency kick and always down for a murder mystery, but as with any series where it’s a long term character investment (at least 7 books at this point), I am hesitant.

[janeykath318]

Currently reading Book four of the Wrexford and Sloane mystery series. Really enjoying these two and can’t wait until the slow burn pays off and they admit their feelings.

[dollycas]

Murder at the Serpentine Bridge (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery) by Andrea Penrose #Spotlight / #Giveaway

I am still trying to get my reading back on track and bring #Flashback Friday back. Until then . . . Murder at the Serpentine Bridge: A Riveting New Regency Historical Mystery (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery) Historical Mystery 6th in Series Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Books (September 27, 2022) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 368 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496732537 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496732538 Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496732545 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496732545 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09PJ2LTTW Audiobook ASIN B0B64G6MBH For fans of Bridgerton looking for a mysterious twist on the glittering ballrooms of the Regency—a masterfully plotted story from a USA Today bestselling author that combines engaging protagonists with rich historical detail and international intrigue, plus a touch of romance that readers of Amanda Quick and Deanna Raybourn will savor. Charlotte, now the Countess of Wrexford, would like nothing more than a summer of peace and quiet with her new husband and their unconventional family and friends. Still, some social obligations must be honored, especially with the grand Peace Celebrations unfolding throughout London to honor victory over Napoleon. But when Wrexford and their two young wards, Raven and Hawk, discover a body floating in Hyde Park’s famous lake, that newfound peace looks to be at risk. The late Jeremiah Willis was the engineering genius behind a new design for a top-secret weapon, and the prototype is missing from the Royal Armory’s laboratory. Wrexford is tasked with retrieving it before it falls into the wrong hands. But there are unsettling complications to the case—including a family connection. Soon, old secrets are tangling with new betrayals, and as Charlotte and Wrexford spin through a web of international intrigue and sumptuous parties, they must race against time to save their loved ones from harm—and keep the weapon from igniting a new war . . . About the Author Andrea Penrose is the USA Today bestselling author of Regency-era historical fiction, including the acclaimed Wrexford & Sloane mystery series, as well as Regency romances written under the names Andrea Pickens and Cara Elliott. Published internationally in ten languages, she is a three-time RITA Award finalist and the recipient of numerous writing awards, including two Daphne Du Maurier Awards for Historical Mystery and two Gold Leaf Awards. A graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Art and an M.F.A. in Graphic Design, Andrea fell in love with Regency England after reading Pride and Prejudice and has maintained a fascination with the era’s swirling silks and radical new ideas throughout her writing career. She lives in Connecticut and blogs with a community of historical fiction authors at WordWenches.com. She also can be found at AndreaPenrose.com and on Instagram @AndreaPenroseBooks. Find more books by Andrea Penrose HERE.  I am giving away a Paperback Advanced Review Copy of Murder at the Serpentine Bridge! The contest is open to anyone over 18  with a US or Canadian mailing address. Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited. You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower. Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow. Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Following My Facebook Fan Page. Add this book to your WANT TO READ shelf on GoodReads for 3 Bonus Entries. Follow Kensington Books on Twitter for 2 Bonus Entries! Follow Kensington Publishing on Facebook for 2 Bonus Entries! Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries. If you share the giveaway on Threads, X, or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link. The  Contest Will End August 2, 2024, at 11:59 PM CST The Winner Will Be Chosen Using Random.org The Winner Will Be Notified By Email and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar. Click Here For Entry Form This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Read the full article

[marcianoliterati]

June 2023 book reviews, part II

Two 5 stars books on this one!

Murder at the royal botanical gardens, by Andrea Penrose

Passing through,by Katia Rose

Murder at the royal botanical gardens

This is a five stars book. 

Excellent.

Would read again, will read more.

It’s book 5 in the series, but it was free on KU, so i figured i’d try.

It’s set in England in the early 1800s

Featuring a woman with peculiar interests and a sharp pen (or quill in this case), her interesting household made up of an older woman who works as her cook/housekeeper/lady’s maid and possible bodyguard? 

And two wards, two boys she’s taken under her wings, two orphans? she’s attempting to raise into decent men.

And, a fianceé who has an interest in science.

Since this is book 5, it does mention several events of previous books,including the return or an adversary.

But it doesn’t really subtract much from the plot not having read them.

The plot is about a botanical conference taking place in London, at the royal botanical gardens in kew, and intrigue surrounding the attendees, one of whom dies under suspicious circumstances. 

Our main characters, Wrexford and Sloane, are planning to marry soon, and they’re not looking for trouble, not at this moment, so when they are approached for help they mean to give it all to a copper friend and wash their hands, but when they realise an old foe is back in town, and probably involved, they find themselves pulled back into the investigation, if only for their own safety.

The story has a lot of intriguing twists, as they try to figure what’s happening, who’s involved, what it is that the dead man was hiding, and so on.

It’s a complex web full of greed and secrets.

I’ve never been to kew, though i have heard wonders of its gardens so i took some time to look up the places mentioned, i like to do that sometimes when it’s a real place. And it does look like a fantastic place.

I would definitely like to go next time i’m in London.

It was interesting starting the book knowing nothing, when it’s clear this one has more of a backstory than other of this type.

I would not classify this as cozy mystery, there’s far too much drama and intrigue, as well as threat of violence.

It felt far more like suspense. Like they were really in danger.

She really was worried for her family.

It’s good that it also takes the time to go through other clearly longer plots, such as the upcoming marriage, and reuniting our heroine with a brother from whom she was estranged. 

I suppose that marks a difference in other it is very much a reset of the status quo, things don’t change much. 

While this one has overarching plots, beyond who died and why.

And i like that it doesn’t stop to re-introduce characters, or anything like that, i find that annoying, i much prefer to just read the story and if its good ill learn abou the characters.  

The author has taken the time to build Charlotte Sloane into a well rounded person, with a complex backstory, a dead first husband, estranged family, career, interests, pursuits, strong moral backbone. 

From what I gathered she seems to have been born into high society, but felt too constrained by its rules and so she ran away. Married someone, they left england for italy, where apparently the husband died in mysterious circumstances and she returned to england to fend for herself. 

|||||

+- And as such, the idea of marrying a man of the aristocracy, of being once again subjected to all its idiosyncrasies causes inner turmoil in her. As does the idea of marriage after knowing freedom. 

Sloane has a rich inner life, the books shows it , and  makes it all more interesting.

The plot is intriguing, full of twists,dead ends, fake outs, until it finally lays bare, and shows it really was all about greed, vs people trying to make the world at least slightly better.

And to her credit, despite being set in 1800s England, with aristocratic characters, at least Charlotte shows to be aware of the less savoury aspects of the British Empire.

There’s quite a lot of talk about Spanish America, various scientific expeditions and how they were pillaging the land, even talk of the slave trade. 

There’s no mention of year, but by the comments I’d say around late 1810s or early 1820s, 

So I do find it curious than in all the talk about America there’s no mention of the independence process, at least about how it would affect trade, or how the fighting was affecting trade.

But I also wouldn’t expect british aristocrats to care, I don’t even expect a british author to even know about it. 

There is however a lot of talk of tension between the US and the UK, and how they must tread lightly to avoid issues there.

The other characters, her older aunt who plays a grandmotherly role to her kids, her housekeeper who seems to have a sordid past herself, and the kids, who i think are like 9 and 12, are all fleshed out characters, with their own plots and skills, the kids are pretty entertaining in their own way.

I absolutely enjoyed this, and I will see if I can find the other books to read, I wanna know more about this found family. 

We don’t really see much of her fiancee the earl of wrexford who im not even sure has a first name, so im not sure what to think of him yet. 

It’s weird how book 1 of the series isn’t on KU but several others are.

I don’t actually know if the writer is british or not, but at least the book is written quite confidently, like the writer does know what they are talking about. So at least they must’ve done their research. 

I have read quite a few of stuff like this, and I often tend to be picky, like, the vibes gotta be right, and i’ve given up on several that just didn’t convince me, even if there was nothing specifically wrong, but this had me from the start, and that’s a rare quality. 

Tw: death, violence, adoption, family estrangement, the issues of women marrying in olden times and losing basically all rights, the british being imperialistic, slavery, USians being USians basically.

 Passing Through -  5 stars

I’ve read several other books by katia rose so when I saw she had a new one that was available on KU,I went to get it immediately.

She’s a reliable author, always delivers.

Passing Through is the story of a girl who’s taking a holiday in a camper van through British Columbia, as a way to sort of recalibrate after a bad breakup.

The action begins on Vancouver Island, on a camping ground getting ready for the summer season. It is a family run place and the family has recently suffered a devastating loss, which has them all off-kilter has well.

Kim stops by in a bar, meaning to take a break before continuing to drive, but the bartender introduces her to the rivers sisters, Emily and Trish. 

Emily and Kim immediately hit it off, but neither is in a moment where they are interested in romance, so they have a fun night, and when trish invites her to stay because it is too dangerous to keep driving, Kim accepts.

The next morning she leaves, but Emily and the campground remain in her thoughts.

She drives around the island and it’s beautiful, though she is a bit distracted. 

Then an older local woman suggests she stay a couple weeks more and wait the beginning of summer, and the place at it’s best.

And she finds herself back at the bar, and Emily offers her a job. She needs the help and Kim can have somewhere to stay and not spend all her savings.

But working in close quarters makes their attraction hard to resist and neither is sure about the other or what they are doing…

It is a well written romance, it is believable, mixing almost irresistible attraction with a good dosis of realism, doubts, real world responsibilities and so on, which help make it seem less like a hallmark rom com and more like good story with romance in it.

I also appreciate how the focus isn’t only on the romance, but attention is given to worldbuilding, the family, the location, the secondary characters.

Which often fall to the background in romantic stories, no-one else matters.

But as this is meant to be the first in a series, extra attention is given to all the details, and it makes for a much more satisfying read. 

There’s family issues, they are dealing with the recent loss of their mother, while Kim is questioning her entire life after what felt like a very close callout by her ex girlfriend which leaves her anxious not to repeat the same mistakes.

The characters are all rounded and interesting, with real problems and actual plots to deal with, and it is balanced with a lot of fun and other emotional moments to make it all seem more grounded.

I like books that make me interested in the character’s lives, that make me feel a lot, without making obvious attempt to tug at heartstrings, and i like characters who are emotional and feel a lot and wanna do a lot. 

It felt to me very relatable, and i liked all the characters and want to see more of them. 

I thoroughly enjoyed it, rec it to anyone looking for a good story, and will definitely check out the next one.

I’ve never been to vancouver or the island but it certainly made me wanna go. And go camping, too. 

Just in case, as mentioned the story deals with death and grief, there’s mentions of cancer, relationship inequality,insecurity,manipulation, mental health issues, the need to be strong and independent are all themes. 

[storyxonline]

Caffeinated Reviewer | Murder at Queen’s Landing by Andrea Penrose

7th Jun Charlotte and Wrexford investigate the world of finance to exonerate siblings while exploring their own feelings in Murder at Queen’s Landing by Andrea Penrose. This is the fourth audiobook in the historical murder-mystery series Wrexford & Sloane and narrated by the talented James Cameron Stewart. Grab a cup of tea and see why I am obsessed with this amateur detective duo. Murder at…

[mayliang17]

Book review: Sweet Revenge by Andrea Penrose (A Lady Arianna mystery)

Book review: Sweet Revenge by Andrea Penrose (A Lady Arianna mystery)

Sweet Revenge by Andrea PenroseMy rating: 4 of 5 starsThe debut novel of the Lady Arianna Regency Mysteries (I think my theory is that if I keep discovering new good series, I will never run out of books to read. I think I will never run out of books to read anyway, but that’s a different matter altogether.)This series is actually an earlier series from the same author as the Wrexford & Sloane…

[annafromuni]

Andrea Penrose Returns with Murder at King's Crossing

An Andrea Penrose book has finally come across my bookshelf once again. Murder at King’s Crossing, the eighth instalment in the Wrexford and Sloane Mystery series, brings with it a mix of joy and heartbreak, love and betrayal, and political intrigue and family ties. Thankfully, I was able to pick this up before the end of the spooky season as I wouldn’t see Spooktober complete without at least…

[cheshirelibrary]

These Mystery Series Will Keep You Guessing

[via Bustle]

Did you grow up reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes? Then you’re going to want to check out these captivating mystery series, all of which will pull you in from book one. These novels draw readers in with an initial whodunnit, but keep them coming back for the rich character development and compelling storytelling.

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead (Claire DeWitt Mysteries #1) by Sara Gran

A Deadly Inside Scoop (Ice Cream Parlor Mysteries #1) by Abby Collette

The Invisible Library (Invisible Library #1) by Genevieve Cogman

A Study In Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock #1) by Sherry Thomas

Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs #1)by Jacqueline Winspear

Cocaine Blues (Phryne Fisher Mysteries #1) by Kerry Greenwood

The Widows of Malabar Hill (Perveen Mistry #1) by Sujata Massey

Murder on Black Swan Lane (Wrexford & Sloane Mysteries #1) by Andrea Penrose

...

Click through to see more titles.

[jennblogsbooks]

Happy Monday and the last day of September! It’s the start of a new week filled with endless possibilities 🙌🏼 I’m hoping to have a very productive and positive week 🤞🏼 . 🏰 . MURDER AT KENSINGTON PALACE by Andrea Penrose released last week and I’m jumping on the book tour to tell you more about it! This is the 3rd book in the Wrexford and Sloan’s mystery series. I absolutely love the covers of this series. It reminds of me gloomy London streets filled with murders and mayhem 👀 . 🏰 . Thank you to @kensingtonbooks and @tlcbooktours for sending me a free copy❗️ . 🏰 . Goodreads description: . Though Charlotte Sloane’s secret identity as the controversial satirical cartoonist A.J. Quill is safe with the Earl of Wrexford, she’s ill prepared for the rippling effects sharing the truth about her background has cast over their relationship. She thought a bit of space might improve the situation. But when her cousin is murdered and his twin brother is accused of the gruesome crime, Charlotte immediately turns to Wrexford for help in proving the young man’s innocence. Though she finds the brooding scientist just as enigmatic and intense as ever, their partnership is now marked by an unfamiliar tension that seems to complicate every encounter. Despite this newfound complexity, Wrexford and Charlotte are determined to track down the real killer. Their investigation leads them on a dangerous chase through Mayfair’s glittering ballrooms and opulent drawing rooms, where gossip and rumors swirl to confuse the facts. Was her cousin murdered over a romantic rivalry . . . or staggering gambling debts? Or could the motive be far darker and involve the clandestine scientific society that claimed both brothers as members? The more Charlotte and Wrexford try to unknot the truth, the more tangled it becomes. But they must solve the case soon, before the killer’s madness seizes another victim... . 🏰 . #murderatkensingtonpalace #andreapenrose #kensingtonbooks #tlcbooktours #booktour #historicalmystery #historicalfiction #shelfie https://www.instagram.com/p/B3DIA0Bl6iG/?igshid=14tuup5hv8z2a

[lakecountylibrary]

Series Rec: Wrexford & Sloane

Start with book one: Murder on Black Swan Lane

The Earl of Wrexford, known for his bad temper, and scientific mind, is accused of murder. An unconventional artist and her wards, along with several other friends, band together, to try to prove the Earl innocent. There are plot twists and turns, and memorable characters that develop not only through this first book, but through the rest of the series.

This Regency Era (1811-1820) series goes on to follow the Earl of Wrexford and Mrs. Sloane as they solve other murders. Each book is different and has a unique plot. So far there are five books in the series, with a sixth set to premier in September 2022.

What I like about this series:

Each book takes place mainly in London, and the descriptions and historical information make me feel transported back to the Regency Era.

There is character development for individual characters, and growing complexity in their relationships with each other.

The plots are complex enough to keep me guessing about the identity of the villain(s).

The narrator, James Cameron Stewart, is the same for the first five novels, which is important to me.

Fans of Charles Finch's Lenox Mysteries will probably enjoy this series as well.

Check out the Wrexford and Sloane Mysteries as audiobooks, print books, or ebooks at LCPL

See more of Brenna's recs

[kensingtonbooks]

Series Inspiration by Andrea Penrose

I confess, given that my academic expertise in science ended in 9th grade biology class (you know, the one with formaldehyde, dead frogs and very sharp knifes!) So it might strike you as rather strange that science plays a big role in the plot of Murder on Black Swan Lane, the first book of my new Regency-set mystery series. (Don’t panic—no homework or quizzes required!) Allow me to explain . . .

I have an art background, which may seem like the polar opposite from the world of laboratories, microscopes and bubbling chemicals. I thought the same thing until I read a marvelous book called the Age of Wonder by Richard Holmes. In it, he talks about how during the Regency era, the artists and scientists all thought of themselves as kindred souls. Exploration and discovery required imagination and creative thinking—painters, poets, chemists, astronomers—they all pushed themselves to think outside the box.

Hmmm, I thought . . . these are just the same qualities required to unravel diabolical mysteries. So it suddenly struck me that having a scientist and an artist could be a really fun combination. In the Earl of Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane, I’ve sought to create two lead characters who embody the intellectual curiosity—and gritty courage—of the times. They are opposites: a brooding aristocrat whose extraordinary mind runs on the rational new principles of scientific inquiry, paired with a struggling artist whose innate cleverness and intuition are the keys to her survival. Forced to work together, Wrexford and Charlotte find they make a formidable team, despite their differences. (Ah, but as science tells us, opposites often attract!)

Okay, now I have a second confession to make—I may not be a science expert, but I’m a total Regency history geek. So it was great fun researching science during the era. Like in our own times, new discoveries and new technology were changing society. The top scientists were the hot celebrities. All the trendy people flocked to heard the public lectures at the Royal Institution, the leading scientific society in London. And yes, there were science groupies! The charismatic Humphry Davy (he’s pretty dishy, isn’t he?), the most famous chemist of the day, routinely had love letters and invitations for private hanky-panky—often wrapped in frilly undergarments—delivered backstage! (There are several scenes in my book set at the Royal Institution—I hope they will forgive me for creating intrigue and skullduggery within their hallowed halls!) You can read more about some of the real-life scientists of the Regency on my website. Just click here.

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