Nothing is as it seems in Regency London, especially when the Earl of
Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane join forces to solve a shocking murder.
When Lord Wrexford discovers the body of a gifted inventor in a dark
London alley, he promptly alerts the watchman and lets the authorities
handle the matter. But Wrexford soon finds himself drawn into the
investigation when the inventor's widow begs for his assistance. It
seems her husband's designs for a revolutionary steam-powered engine
went missing the night of his death. The plans could be worth a fortune
. . . and very dangerous in the wrong hands.
Joining Wrexford in his investigation is Charlotte Sloane, who uses the
pseudonym A. J. Quill to publish her scathing political cartoons. She
doesn't mind tapping her extensive network of informants critical to her
work to track down an elusive killer. With danger lurking at every turn,
the potent combination of Wrexford's analytical mind and Sloane's
exacting intuition begins to unravel the twisted motivations behind the
inventor's death. But they are up against a killer ready to strike again
before they can recover the inventor's priceless designs . . .
"Penrose deftly combines a Regency romance with a tricky mystery that
delves into social unrest and the darker side of this storied period."
--Kirkus Reviews
"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
