Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: The Lord Julian Mysteries #4
Publication Date: 2/27/24
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 243

I absolutely love this series. It has a unique premise in that the protagonist has come home from the Napoleonic wars as a very broken man – mentally and physically. He holed himself up in a darkened house for almost a year after his return. He was taken prisoner and tortured by the French and somehow managed to escape but wandered injured and helpless through the Pyrenees until he reached friendly territory. His hair has turned pure white, his eyesight is poor and cannot tolerate bright light, he is emaciated, and . . . worst of all . . . his fellow citizens have branded him a traitor and accused him of leaving his older brother to die in the prison camp. He is not a traitor – but the rumors persist nevertheless. I believe that you should read the whole series, in order, so you get and follow the entire background of the characters and their relationships.

Lord Julian, who has solved several mysteries lately, has been summoned to the estate of Osgood Banter to solve the disappearance of a large, prized, foxhound named Thales. Yes, we have the case of the Purloined Puppy. However, when he arrives at the estate and meets all the players, Lord Julian realizes there is much more to solve than a missing canine. Tensions are high – both on the estate and in the surrounding village. It seems the dog’s owner is not greatly esteemed by any of the residents – at home or in the village. So, if Thales’s owner – Anaximander (Nax) Silforth (I know, it is a mouthful, right?) is so disliked by everyone, why is Osgood Banter leaving Nax in total charge of his vast, wealthy estate while he travels the continent? Hmmmm – you will just need to read the story to see, but it is a doozie!

In this book, we have a bit less page time with Arthur, the Duke of Waltham (Julian’s brother), Hyperia (Perry) West (Julian’s love interest), Lady Ophelia (Julian’s Godmother), and Atticus, Julian’s pint-sized outspoken Tiger. They were there but just didn’t have a lot of page time. I really love it when Julian and Perry are bouncing thoughts and ideas off each other.

Trigger warnings – the Duke of Waltham and Osgood Banter are male lovers. I love their relationship as it is longstanding, true, mature, and thoughtful – and that is what is focused on. I also love that the author depicts what a same-gender couple had to deal with during that time rather than writing like it was all buttercups, unicorns, and roses with everyone accepting and celebrating the relationship. Being in a same-gender relationship during that time often got you hanged, but if it didn’t, you were socially ostracized by all levels of society. This author shows that without being preachy about it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all of the others in the series. I am already anxiously awaiting the next book,
A Gentleman In Search of A Wife. Happy Reading!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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