Author: Katharine Schellman

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Release Date: April 7 2020

Book Blurb: London 1815. Though newly-widowed Lily Adler is returning to a society that frowns on independent women, she is determined to create a meaningful life for herself even without a husband. She’s no stranger to the glittering world of London’s upper crust. At a ball thrown by her oldest friend, Lady Walter, she expects the scandal, gossip, and secrets. What she doesn’t expect is the dead body in Lady Walter’s garden.

Lily overheard the man just minutes before he was shot: young, desperate, and attempting blackmail. But she’s willing to leave the matter to the local constables–until Lord Walter bribes the investigating magistrate to drop the case. Stunned and confused, Lily realizes she’s the only one with the key to catching the killer.

Aided by a roguish navy captain and a mysterious heiress from the West Indies, Lily sets out to discover whether her friend’s husband is mixed up in blackmail and murder. The unlikely team tries to conceal their investigation behind the whirl of London’s social season, but the dead man knew secrets about people with power. Secrets that they would kill to keep hidden. Now, Lily will have to uncover the truth, before she becomes the murderer’s next target.

What do I reckon: This was a good read and not too long.  Sometimes I find that books set in the 1800’s end up being very long and a difficult read.     A dead body, a mystery a bit of love. What’s not to like?  I'll definitely be looking out for the next in the series.

Disclosure: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Where to buy: If you would like to buy this book you can find it here . You can also find the second book in the series through that link but I haven’t read it yet so can’t vouch for its greatness. 😉