Month: May 2017

Murder On Black Swan Lane By Andrea Penrose

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Mystery, Regency Era (1811-1820)1 Comment

Murder on Black Swan Lane (Quill Mystery, #1)Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Quill Mystery #1
Publication Date: June 27, 2017

An impeccably written, exciting, intriguing, engrossingly tangled and twisted regency mystery. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. The characters are fully developed and deep with flaws and secrets I’m sure we’ll learn more about as the series goes on. I am so very excited that this is a series and we will get to know them all better. If you are a fan of Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries, you will absolutely LOVE this one.

This is the first book I have read by Andrea Penrose or any of her other pen names — Cara Elliott for Grand Central and Andrea Pickens for NAL, but I can’t wait to read more of this series and to also check out her other Regency mystery series.

I have to admit that my two favorite characters in the book are the two street urchins – Raven and Hawk. They are intelligent and wise beyond their years and even though they have lived their lives, alone, in the stews of St. Giles, they still have sweet and innocent hearts. It will be interesting to see if, over time, they give up being street urchins and let Charlotte care for them.

Since the series is named Quill Mystery, I assume that the main character will be Charlotte Sloane, also known as A. J. Quill. She is the most popular satirical cartoonist in England, but she must guard her identity and gender. She is very intelligent, feisty and not afraid of anything – at least she thinks she isn’t. One of the facts that is uncovered in this mystery is the facts behind the death of her talented artist husband Anthony. She also has another, even bigger, secret in her past and it is hinted at, but not revealed in this book.

The Earl of Wrexford has a brilliant, logical scientific mind and thinks he is incapable of any of the softer feelings. He is also a brilliant chemist – although he keeps that part of his life well hidden. All is logic with Wrexford. So, when everyone thinks he’s the person who murdered a Reverend he’s been publicly feuding with, he decides that he must solve the murder in order to save himself. His first order of business is to uncover the identity of A. J. Quill who has been skewering him in cartoons. The drawings are absolutely too accurate and therefore the artist must know something. There is also some hinted mystery with the death of Wrexford’s brother and I came to feel as if that was what caused Wrexford to close himself off from the softer feelings in life.

Although there is no romance in this book between Charlotte and Wrexford, they do develop a friendship and I hope it will develop into a romance over the course of the series. We do see a bit of ‘softening’ in Wrexford over the course of the book.

The secondary characters in the book are also great and it will be fun to watch their growth over the course of the series. There is Wrexford’s valet cum lab assistant who is smart and sassy. Then, there is Wrexford’s friend who is always short of funds and isn’t thought to be particularly intelligent. We also have a Scot doctor who does the autopsies and is gifted at interpreting what he is finding – Oh shades of St. Cyr Mysteries with their Scot anatomist.

The mystery is full of twists and turns and people with intertwining plots. You’ll have a time figuring out who murderer is and how all of the plots fit together.

“I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

View all my reviews

The Highland Commander by Amy Jarecki

On By TracyIn Jacobean/Stuart Era (1603-1714), Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

The Highland Commander (Lords of the Highlands #2)The Highland Commander by Amy Jarecki

Release Date: 6/27/17
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Magdalen aka Maddie is the illegitimate daughter of the Earl Marischal of Scotland, she meets Lord Aiden, the second son of the Duke of Atholl at a masked ball hosted by her father. Aiden is a first lieutenant in the navy and he, along with his shipmates are in port for one night. He is immediately drawn to Maddie. They share a kiss and part ways. Neither knows who the other is, as they only exchanged first names, but neither forgets the other.

Three months later, Maddie’s estranged stepmother comes to her with news that her father has been arrested and is being held in London. The countess is heavy with child and cannot make the trip – she insists that Maddie goes in her place. Aiden is also in London, he has been granted a two week leave for the first time in almost two years and he has big plans for his time. They meet again when Aiden comes to Maddie’s aid. They quickly realize their prior connection and Aiden offers to help Maddie. They work together to free her father and become much better “acquainted” but their blossoming love will be tested when Aiden is recalled to his ship early. Maddie remains in London and is able to have her father released – but there are conditions to the release and those conditions mean Maddie must stay in London too. The queen has “requested” that Maddie stay and play the harp for her and Maddie’s father has “requested” that she spy on the queen for him. She is not happy with either scenario, but feels duty bound to comply.

Over a year has passed when Maddie learns that Aiden’s ship was attacked and that they are in Portsmouth for repairs. She offers to go to Portsmouth to show the crown’s support and to tend the wounded. When they meet on the ship, she is overjoyed that he is safe and he is stunned and elated to see her. They barely have any time together when Aiden is summoned to London by his father. His brother was killed in battle and Aiden is now the Marquis of Tullibardine and his father’s sole heir. On the journey back to London, Maddie tries to offer Aiden comfort, but he is lost in his own grief. When he meets with his father, he is told that he needs to find a bride and his father forbids him to consider Maddie. Aiden at first refuses, but his father uses his mother’s grief to bring him to heel. Maddie is hurt and confused by Aiden’s dismissal – Aiden feels awful about the way he has been treating Maddie and tries to make amends – but Maddie isn’t having it.

Aiden has another chance at redemption when Maddie is falsely accused of trying to assassinate the queen. He rescues her from certain death and they flee together. Maddie is still hurt and makes it perfectly clear that while she is grateful for his rescue – she will not be his whore. Aiden has a lot of groveling to do before these two can have a HEA.

Just when it seems like they have overcome the past and are committed to a future together – Ms. Jarecki throws in another twist and all hope for a swift HEA is shattered.

I loved this book, it has an epic feel to it and the love story is never lost, no matter how long they are parted or by the many obstacles thrown in their path. When they finally get their HEA it is beautiful and will stay with me for a long time. The book is well written, flows wonderfully, has some very well done warm love scenes, a lot of tense moments, a lot of surprising twists and turns and finally a spectacular ending with a very believable soul-mate type of love.

It is the second book in the series, but it is very loosely tied to the first and could easily be read as a stand alone title. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to Reid’s book, Highland Guardian!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*