| Title | : | Murder at Half Moon Gate (Wrexford Sloane, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 369 |
| Publication | : | First published March 27, 2018 |
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 murder investigation when the inventor’s widow begs for his assistance, claiming the crime was not a random robbery. 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. Her extensive network of informants is critical for her work, but she doesn’t mind tapping that same web of spies to track down an elusive killer. Each suspect—from ambitious assistants to rich investors, and even the inventor’s widow—is entwined in a maze of secrets and lies that leads Wrexford and Sloane down London’s most perilous stews and darkest alleyways.
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 cunning and deadly foe—a killer ready to strike again before they can recover the inventor’s priceless designs . . .
Murder at Half Moon Gate (Wrexford Sloane, #2) Reviews
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I've given this a B+ at AAR, so that's 4.5 stars.
Murder at Half Moon Gate is the second book in Andrea Penrose’s series of historical mysteries featuring the scandalous but scientifically-minded Earl of Wrexford and Mrs. Charlotte Sloane, otherwise known as A.J. Quill, London’s premier satirical cartoonist. In
Murder on Black Swan Lane, Wrexford was accused of the murder of the prominent clergyman with whom he had been carrying on a very public dispute. Further infuriated by A.J. Quill’s uncannily accurate drawings and scathing commentaries, Wrexford determined to find the man and get him to stop his lampooning – only to discover that he was a she, carrying on the work of her late husband. The earl and the satirist eventually teamed up to find the real murderer and exonerate Wrexford, and during the course of the book forged an unlikely but strong working partnership in which Charlotte’s intuition and observational skills proved the perfect complement to Wrexford’s highly logical scientific approach.
This book begins a few months after the previous one concluded, and although Wrexford and Charlotte have seen each other once or twice over that period, both expect their forged-from-necessity friendship to fade away given the fact that they move in very different social circles. Even so, neither of them is quite ready to let go of the unusual and strong connection that has developed between them – when the murder of a prominent inventor brings Wrexford back to Charlotte’s door.
On his way back from an evening’s carouse in the company of his friend, Kit Sheffield, Wrexford, who is somewhat the worse for wear, literally stumbles across a dead body in a dank alley. Closer inspection reveals the man was brutally attacked, his neck broken, his face cut – and unusually, his clothing slashed and rent as well. With nothing to suggest anything other than an attack by footpads, the earl is relieved to hand the investigation over to the authorities. But the next morning, he receives a visit from a beautiful woman who introduces herself as Mrs. Isobel Ashton and tells Wrexford that her husband was the murdered man he found the previous night. She proceeds to explain that Ashton had been an inventor on the verge of an important breakthrough – and Wrexford, a chemist of some renown, recalls that he had exchanged some correspondence with the man, who needed some assistance with the chemical composition of the iron he was using in his new steam engine.
When Mrs. Ashton tells Wrexford she believes her husband was murdered and asks him to investigate, he is reluctant at first, unable to see why anyone would want to kill an inventor. But as things begin to fall into place, he realises that whoever killed Ashton must have been looking for something – a suspicion confirmed when the widow tells him that her husband had been on the verge of a momentous breakthrough that would have made him a fortune, and suggests there were those who would stop at nothing in order to steal his ideas.
When Wrexford calls upon Charlotte – whose judgement, keen mind and observational skills he prizes highly – he tells her why he believes Ashton was murdered and asks her to see if her city-wide network of informants has heard any rumblings about the murder and who might be behind it. Very soon, Wrexford and Charlotte are embroiled in the search for a ruthless killer who always seems to be one step ahead of them and are confronted with an increasing body-count and an ever growing list of suspects – the Workers of Zion, a radical group advocating violence and destruction on a scale far more extensive than the Luddites, Ashton’s assistants and other associates – including Charlotte’s oldest friend, Jeremy, Lord Stirling, who was one of Ashton’s primary investors – and the dissolute Lord Kirkland, whose association with the widowed Mrs. Ashton places them both under suspicion.
Andrea Penrose has penned a complex mystery full of twists, turns and red-herrings that kept me guessing pretty much right up until the identity of the villain was revealed, while at the same time developing the relationship between her two principals that began in the previous book. It was clear in that story that both Wrexford and Charlotte were keeping secrets and there was more for them to learn about each other (and for readers to discover) and the author has indulged us – to a point – revealing a little more about each of them. I particularly liked seeing the cynical and unsentimental Wrexford’s interactions with the two street-urchins Charlotte has ‘adopted’, and his gradually dawning realisation that when it comes to Charlotte, it’s not so easy for him to remain detached and unemotional. He enjoys the fact that Charlotte challenges and provokes him and is surprised to realise that her passionate convictions are causing him to care more deeply than ever about things to which he has never really given much thought. And Charlotte, intelligent, stubborn and self-reliant, is a little disturbed to discover her thoughts increasingly preoccupied with a certain green-eyed, annoyingly sardonic earl who frustrates and infuriates in equal measure but whose friendship she has come to cherish.
Having a main character who is a scientist makes it natural that the author should focus on the scientific aspect of her stories, but in doing so she has also given them rather a unique slant. The early nineteenth century was a time of huge social change, political upheaval and technological advancement, and all these elements are skilfully incorporated as she takes a good look at the implications on the working poor of the huge strides being made in the development of mechanical processes and of the Industrial Revolution in general:
What place did people have in a world where machines made their efforts obsolete?
Ms. Penrose creates a very strong sense of time and place in the novel; the cartoonists of the day were instrumental in forming public opinion, but the fact that Charlotte is A.J. Quill must remain secret if she is to continue to make a living and retain any degree of respectability, as for a woman to engage in such a profession would have been ruinous. The author’s descriptions of her chosen locations are vivid and really help the reader to place themselves in the more tumble-down areas of London, and she has created a thoroughly engaging set of secondary characters. Kit Sheffield, Wrexford’s closest friend is clearly not so much a wastrel as he purports to be, the unflappable and enigmatic McLellan whom the earl assigns to act as Charlotte’s maid is someone I hope to see more of, and Raven and Hawk, the two boys Charlotte has taken under her wing, are a couple of winning lads who are perhaps a little too good to be true, but who are nonetheless a good addition to the larger cast.
Murder at Half Moon Gate is an enjoyably complex mystery that strikes a good balance between plot, character development and historical detail – and those of us who like a bit of romance thrown in will be satisfied with the direction things are taking. The book is sure to appeal to fans of Deanna Raybourn and Anna Lee Huber as well as those who enjoy a well-plotted historical mystery. -
This is the second in the Wrexford and Sloane murder mysteries and I think it's even better than the first. The characters we met in the first book are now fully fleshed out and the mystery was intriguing. I don't like murders where you know who the murderer is early on and that's definitely not the case here. I love the surprise of it all. You're kept guessing all the time.
Wrexford and Charlotte evolve as two full characters in this novel. We find out a bit more about them and quite a lot by the end. If I have any fault with Caroline it's that her 'stiff pride' got a bit annoying I thought she carried it a bit too far at times. Thankfully she mellowed out as the book went on.
Raven and Hawk, the two urchins she takes on and cares for are every bit as interesting as last time. Hawk is such a trusting soul and has total faith in his big brother and now Charlotte. Raven is very different, fiercely protective of Hawk and loyal to Charlotte. He finds it harder to accept change and his ascendance from the brutal life of poverty he has come from.
There are a couple of characters that we met in the last book and a new one who, if she's a fixture in the Sloane household, will be very interesting I think.
This author's writing is beautifully descriptive and lyrical. I read the Prologue and 'wham' I was hooked. I read the passage, closed my eyes and I was IN the stews of London and could feel the swirling mist and fog closing in on me.
The end is satisfying and we're well and truly baited and hooked ready for number 3. I'm looking forward to the development of the relationship between Wrexham and Charlotte. -
I'm so glad I discovered this series!!!
Wrex and Charlotte are so good together! Don't imagine anything sexual, even if there're signes of their attraction, but they're so subtle that I'm wanting it to happen all the more! LOL
I liked also all the secondary characters! The "weasels" are my favorit! But I also like Wrex's valet Tyler and McLellan, Charlotte's maid who's also Tyler's cousin! And how to forget Kit, the apparently indolent and stupid friend of Wrex's?
And the mystery with all the red-herrings the author throws during the story? Oh, I've enjoy it very much! -
4.25 stars.
Getting better, I really like this series 😍.
On to book #3
❤️ -
The second in the series. I enjoyed the growth of the plot for the main couple. The mystery was secondary and not that strong. It was still an enjoyable read as the author makes the story flow and keeps my interest. I have the next book n the series already and look forward to reading it.
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Series: Wrexford and Sloane #2
Publication Date: 3/27/18
Penrose’s second book in the Wrexford and Sloane series provides intriguing insights into the main characters pasts and their relationship as well as a mystery that will keep you guessing right up to the very end. The book is fast-paced and very well written. It can certainly be read as a stand-alone book, but you’ll miss all of those formative interactions among all of the characters and their relationships with each other. I’ve now read both books in the series and they are both outstanding!
The Regency period sees the very early beginning and the burgeoning of social and technological changes within England. Science and technological innovation were changing the way people lived and worked. Social order was beginning to change as well and was constantly challenged by satirical cartoonists who were actually quite powerful in molding public opinion. I think that the fact that our author chose Sloane as a very gifted and influential satirical cartoonist and Wrexford as an earl who is a gifted scientist is a big part of what makes this series very appealing to me. The characters are wonderful, fully-developed, humorous, brave and intelligent and when you add in an excellent dose of great history and an excellent mystery, you just can’t go wrong.
Wrexford is a bored, pragmatic, cynical, emotionless man who is also a gifted scientist. He governs his life by scientific principles. No emotions, only empirical evidence, and the step-by-step scientific process need apply! That is – unless Charlotte is involved and then – well maybe it is a little harder to be pragmatic and emotionless.
Charlotte Sloane has secrets – many secrets. Wrexford knows some of her secrets, but not all of them. One of Charlotte’s secrets is that she is the political satirist known as A. J. Quill. It is very important that she keep that secret, though Wrexford knows it, because it is how she earns her living. Were it to become known that A. J. Quill was a woman, nobody would publish her work and she would starve. Charlotte also has a large network of street urchins (boys and girls) as well as other important contacts that keep her up-to-date on what is going on. She always seems to be one step ahead of everyone else when it comes to her cartoons. Charlotte is also a pragmatic lady who always strives to control her emotions.
The prologue begins with a heart-pumping chase through the worst part of London. A thick mist from the river is covering the area and the wind is howling (I love the word the author used – skirled – isn’t that perfect it). Our victim is new to London and is hopelessly lost – and finally – he is brutally attacked and killed. Elihu Anthony is an inventor who is on the cusp of patenting a brilliant ground-breaking new technology that will increase the power of steam engines. The patent is worth a fortune for whoever manages to file for it first. Now – what will happen to the patent? Is it the Luddites who are trying to prevent the patent? Is it a greedy investor? Is it family?
Wrexford and his friend Christopher Sheffield are returning home from a gaming hell and take a route through the more unsavory parts of town and discover a lifeless and mutilated body at Half Moon Gate. Not only is the body mutilated, but his clothes are cut and ripped at the seams. Wrexford and Sheffield notify Bow Street, give their account and then go on home. Later, Wrexford is visited by Isobel, the wife of Mr. Anthony and she asks him to solve the case because Bow Street isn’t taking it seriously. That sets us off on a chase that leads to places and events you wouldn’t imagine. There are so many suspects and all of them are very viable – but you won’t guess who the real culprit is until almost the very end (unless you peek).
Raven and Hawk are featured again in this book and they are delightful. They are the street urchins that Charlotte taken into her life and is trying to encourage them to actually live with her and give up their street ways. They are leery of doing that, but she’s winning them over.
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"I requested and received this e-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." -
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Interesting mystery, engaging characters but..... -
I really enjoyed the action and collaboration in this story. The Earl of Wrexford is something of a man of science, and his knowledge and contacts are essential in solving the murder of a man who had developed a better steam machine for manufacturing. The patent had not yet been applied for and it was the intent of stealing "all" that a couple of miscreants went about murdering others in their efforts to catch the prize. Sloane and her two young street rascals were instrumental in tracking people and finding dead bodies, etc. The three also have to adjust to their new digs. Wrexford and Sloane become closer as they work together.
3.5 stars from 4 because: This is Regency period. The author used the phrase "less than a snowball's chance in hell" - and the first use of that expression was not recorded as in use until the 1880's.
Kindle Unlimited -
I found this slow for the first half but after that it was pretty good, focused on technology and the rise of patents as well as the Luddite movement.
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One of the things I do not like about reading a series, is that each subsequent book in a series is a little less praiseworthy than the first, and I’m sorry, this is also the case in this series BUT it was still a very good mystery, with the the characters of Wrexford and Sloane, Raven and Hawk, Sheffield and Tyler.
Alongside the story line the chemistry begins to spark between W and S , but not in poor taste.
The really fun thing about Penrose’s books is that you really don’t know who the true villain or villains are until the very end...keeps one guessing!!! The first book was a 4.25 stars, I would still give this second 4 solid stars.
So far it’s a series I could definitely recommend if you like:
Historical fiction
Regency period
Hanging with “guttersnipes” to “His Nibs”, and earl
Idealism
A good murder mystery. -
With the first in this series I was unsure if it would become a series for me to continue. I appreciated the unique occupation of the female protagonist (political cartoonist), time and setting (regency London), and diversity of character types (aristocracy, struggling young widow, street urchins, all finding themselves amateur detecting the same crime).
My chief concerns were largely flat characters and character stereotypes, and strong hints of romance genre tropes throughout. I generally prefer my crime fiction straight up, not shaken into romantic suspense.
This second installment deepened the characters a little but didn’t move much away from stereotype.
It commits wholeheartedly to a romantic suspense foundation in all the ways that chafe and distract me from what I want to enjoy in the story.
While I’m thus distracted I have trouble letting go of sometimes petty problems with the writing (for instance, someone please lock up the word “sardonic” — it got loose in this book and multiplied like mad).
As much genuine potential as this series holds, I’ve gone far enough to see I should let it be, it’s not really for me. -
Very enjoyable historical mystery, Penrose continues to weave intricate murder mysteries into accurate and fascinating look at Regency London. She adds details of scientific advances of the time into her books, often as a cause of the murder.
Here, the Earl of Wrexford and his friend Kit are returning home from a night out when they literally stumble across the dead body of a murdered inventor. Wrexford is satisfied with letting Bow Street handle the investigation, until the widow asks him to intercede. Of course, Mrs. Sloane becomes involved - as satirical artist AJ Quill, she is interested in the latest scandals and scientific innovations, and Wrexford values her insights and network of informants.
Exciting ending, and we finally get more information on the enigmatic Mrs. Sloane’s secret - not hard to guess, considering her education, and that her dead husband was an artist who called her m’lady! I’m glad I have the next book from the library, Murder at Kensington Palace . -
Another strong addition to the series.
Unlike the last two books I chose, reading this was effortless, pulled along by the characters and story... not forcing myself to finish because it was a 3-in-1 compilation of a new to me series. -
I thought this was better than the first book. In this novel we discover more of Charlotte’s past as well as Wrexford’s. The first murder was brutal and the mystery was engaging, with a couple of red herrings thrown in for good measure.. I enjoyed Charlotte’s relationship with Raven and Hawk, and loved the scene where Wrexford helps them to choose new names. It was a altogether a nice way to spend the day. Also I loved McClellan and hope to see more of her.
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I don't know if I fully understood the mystery but I'm excited for the relationships that are developing. I am really loving Wrexford and I'm curious to know more about him and Sloane's pasts.
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Audentes Fortuna iuvat, Pliny’s famous “fortune favors the bold” quote; Mrs. Charlotte Sloane, fond of Latin phrases as she is, would find it an apt saying for the adventures in "Murder at Half Moon Gate." Once again, Andrea Penrose weaves an amazing tale filled with the richness of her prose and an intriguing situation that leads to murder. The scientific background (for which the author includes historical notes at the back of the book) is detailed and specific -- perhaps too specific for some readers. I, and I suspect Lord Wrexford would find me a kindred soul, enjoyed what is essentially a detailed description of the changing landscape of Britain through what was indeed a true revolution, industrialization.
What is paramount here, however, is the give and take of the relationship between Charlotte Sloane and the Earl of Wrexford. They are both outside the norm of society (she with her great secret, her alter ego, and her propensity for doing things that no “proper” English woman would do, and he with a view of society that is quite unlike his class). Both are slowly but surely being drawn into a world where each will be comfortable with each other. Luckily for readers, everything seems to be progressing satisfactorily.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy ahead of publication, in exchange for an honest review. -
Rounding up from 3.5 stars rather than down, as I usually do because I enjoyed this second entry in the series, even though it did have a problem or two.
The mystery is very well done--lots of twists and turns; the actual villain was a surprise to me. It took me quite a while to figure out. Which is good! The blurb lays out the plot quite well, so I won't bother with a recap. Let's just say that all the secrets got to be a bit much at times. Speaking of secrets...
As befits a second book, we learn a bit more about our continuing characters. We finally learn Lord Wrexford's given name, though he does make a joke of it. The two young boys who have been 'adopted' by Charlotte Sloane receive 'real' names from Wrexford in a really touching scene (and then take delight in using said names whenever they visit Wrexford on errands from Charlotte). The sub-plot about Charlotte moving to a nicer neighborhood was interesting because it revealed a very uncertain woman, one not sure whether she welcomed change or not. Her mental dithering had me wanting to shake her at times. By the book's end we learn her big secret as well.
There's a nice bit of romance developing between Charlotte and Wrexford (no surprise there!). It will be interesting to see how that plays out in future books.
All in all, I'm glad I spent some time with these folks; I hope to see them again soon. -
Second book of Wrexford & Sloane series bring Lord Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane to work together again, to find answer behind a murdered inventor. I really enjoyed this perspective of Man vs. Machine discussion of the yesteryear. Technology/Machine can help people, but yes, at the same time, they can make one's job obsolete. It still happens now with the digital technology, I think. Like banking front liners being replaced by smart ATM machines.
Anyway, the mystery is intriguing. I enjoyed that both Wrexford and Charlotte had their own "networks" and they approached the mystery from two different perspectives. Wrexford with his penchants for logic and science, while Charlotte more of the keen observations of artists and human behavior.
I also adored the two wards that Charlotte has taken under her wings, Raven and Hawk. Raven with his eyes for numbers, and Hawk I believe can grow up as fine man with heart for animals (he seems to like Wrexford's horses). Oh, and of course the other characters, most notably Wrexford's best friend, Kit Sheffield, and his sarcastic valet, Tyler.
There's a slight progress of Wrexford and Charlotte relationship - not yet intimate physical touches, but they clearly started to acknowledge that they may have feelings for one another. Definitely look forward to further development. -
I dove right back into the second book in the series and was swept up once again into Wrexford and Sloane’s fascinating, gritty Regency London world for a new grisly murder. Murder at Half Moon Gate shows the first book was no fluke and I eagerly devoured it once I started reading.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy TBA
Buddy Read with Kara @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard -
Murder At Half Moon Gate is the second book in the Wrexford & Sloane Historical Mystery series.
I love historical mysteries that give me a visual feel of the time and location in which they are set and have a cast of characters that are well developed and believable and continue to be developed with each book. This series has all those, I feel.
In the first book, Murder on Black Swan Lane, I felt that there was a fair amount of friction between Wrexford and Charlotte, which is understandable since they come from different positions in life and didn’t know that much about each other. Now, in Murder at half Moon Gate, I did sense that they are not at odds and are more willing to work together as they both realize they are working towards a common goal, just that they may be approaching it somewhat differently.
Wrexford and Sheffield are on their way to a gambling when near Half Moon Gate they come across the brutally murdered body Elihu Ashton. Wrexford makes a note of wounds that were on Ashton’s and pays close attention to the state of his clothes which looked like someone expected something to might be hidden in them. The policeman that comes to investigate, is ready to write the death off to someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Wrexford thinks otherwise.
Wrexford calls on Mrs. Ashton to let her know of her husband’s death and find out why Elihu might have been in that area. She recalled that he had received a note telling him to Half Moon Gate and to bring the drawings.
Wrexford soon finds that Ashton was working on a new steam engine design that would revolutionize the manufacturing process. At this time in England, there is unrest among the workers in the mills, they feel that these improvements will put them out of work. There are organizations forming that hope to put a stop to these improvements. When he meets with Charlotte and tells her of the markings on the torso of Ashton, she remembers seeing a similar design on one of the labor organizations brochures.
The more they look for answers to who might have been behind the murder, the more dead bodies that they come across. At one of the scenes, the last words out of the victim’s mouth are: the answer is in the numbers. A sheet with a series of numbers is found in the victim’s room, but without a code, they are at lost ends to decipher the message. Knowing that the one who gets the patent on this new technology will become very rich they also start looking at his widow and those that have been helping with designing of the new steam engine. They will be hoping that they solve this murder before any more lives are lost.
I will definitely be watching for the next book in exciting series. -
Does NOT stand alone - read the first book ahead of this one!
Best analogy would be a restaurant meal with a decent-but-not-outstanding main course, but dessert proves a knock out! The first book in a series is usually more set up, and less tension, but not here. Good sequel, characters are developed well, especially young Raven. My point is that it's quite character-driven, rather than a series of exciting plot developments (until late in the story).
I was a bit concerned that there are only two books, and none on a forthcoming list that I could find. However, at the author's website she explains that the third manuscript has just been sent off to the publisher, so she's hopeful for it to be printed sometime next year. Yay! -
Very good. Loved everything about it.
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This is recommended for readers who don’t mind phrases like “cut to the chase” in their Regency novels.
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Fans of C.S. Harris and Ashley Gardner will appreciate this book. 2nd book was just as good as the first and I am eager to see where AP goes with the next one.
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4.5 stars
Last year I had the pleasure of reviewing the first book in a new series, Murder on Black Swan Lane, which was an exciting first book. I was anxious to read the next book and was thrilled to finally see it on Netgalley!
In the first book, I loved getting to know the protagonist, Lord Wrexford and Mrs Slone. While each had something that I liked independently, the thing I loved most about them was the chemistry. This book would no doubt capitalize on that chemistry.
As I mentioned in my review of the first book, the plot doesn’t exactly sound terribly original. In fact based on the plot summary on each book, I felt like I had read a number of mysteries like this before. So why did I love this book and the series so much? Character, character, character.
I love Lord Wrexford. His sarcasm and pragmatic view of the world strikes a chord with me and I can’t help but love him. He is intelligent, brooding, and has a armor that no one dare break through. I feel like in many ways him and I are kindred spirits which is what makes me simply love his character so much. I would read this book just because of him. He isn’t this squeaky clean, bored aristocrat. He’s got a checkered past and puts on this arrogant pomp in order to protect his heart and I simply can’t say enough great things about him.
Charlotte Slone is the counterpart to Lord Wrexford. She’s had to struggle her whole life and now she is finally in a place to move on from her previous life and start to regain some of her former life. She is taking care of two orphans, Raven and Hawk, and trying to offer them a civilized and better life than what they know on the streets. She is honorable, sassy, courageous, but yet stubborn and proud to a fault.
Putting her together with Wrexford is a recipe for chemistry and spark. If it wasn’t clear in the first book, than it’s undeniable in this book, that Wrexford and Charlotte have feelings for one another. Their budding romance was one of my favorite things about this novel. I loved watching each character discover and admit that what they felt was more than just admiration. However, I think that could have been stretched into one more book. I almost felt like the ending between the two was rushed so that it would fit in the narrative by the end. I think it would have almost worked better to have them each discover how they felt and then in the next book have the romance be more about declaration. I think they needed more time to fully develop the sexual tension and romance. Don’t get me wrong, I love their romantic plot line, but I think it might have teased readers a little longer and built more suspense and tension for them.
This mystery was a tangled mess….in a good way. I thought there were enough red herrings to propel the story and keep readers guessing. I also liked how Wrexford continued to return to the scientific method to solve the case. Sometimes the obvious, simplest, and neatest solution is the answer—and then sometimes it’s more complicated than that. I loved trying to sort out and piece everything together and just found that I couldn’t do it until the final piece of the puzzle was revealed.
I read this story very fast and loved so many aspects of it. I can’t say enough good things about this series. I am eager to read the next installment. Penrose’s writing is superb and her ability to write complex characters that readers can still admire and relate to is perfection. I love each character in their own way and the romance is exciting not to mention the mystery itself. A win on a number of levels!
See my full review here -
So many really great twists in this novel. I inhaled it in a day and enjoyed it more than the first in the series. Great development of the characters. Racing into the third.
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Delicious fun for those that enjoy 19th century Victorian England suspense mystery a la the Sherlock Holmes realm of stories. I will be continuing with this series. 👍👍
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This second in Ms. Penrose's Wrexford and Sloane series was completely engaging from beginning to end. Lord Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane are both intelligent and resourceful. Charlotte's band of "informants" play an integral part in this complex mystery. I've already put a hold at my library for the third book in this series.
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I really enjoyed this second book in the series, even more than the first. I especially enjoy the young supporting characters Raven and Hawk.
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Rezension: (kann Spoiler enthalten)
Danke an den Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar!
Bereits in Band 1 mochte ich das Zusammenspiel von Wrexford und Sloane sehr, hier wurde es für mich sogar noch besser. Denn nun begleiten wir sie auch, wie sich in ihrer Beziehung etwas tut und wie Charlotte Sloane auch ihre Vergangenheit weiter aufdeckt, mit Wrexford, Raven und Hawk aber langsam eine neue Zukunft beschreitet.
So hatte man auch neben dem Fall, den es zu lösen galt, noch einiges an Hintergrundinformationen und Entwicklungen.
Den Fall fand ich sehr spannend, mit seiner Maschinenthematik lässt er uns auch noch mehr in diese historische Zeit eintauchen und dafür bin ich immer zu haben;)
Ich mochte es, dass man zwischendurch schon dachte, der Fall sei gelöst, auch wenn es dann doch irgendwie ganz anders war, tatsächlich lag ich mit meiner Vermutung, die sich nach 2/3 auftat, auch richtig:)
Es war definitiv sehr ereignisreich und ich mochte die Auflösung, weil sie alles zu einem sinnvollen Schluss brachte und die letzten Fragen beantwortete. Trotzdem fand ich die ein oder andere Feinheit gegen Ende nicht ganz soo schön eingebaut, das erschien mir dann minimal zu viel, doch das war nicht weiter tragisch.
4,5 Sterne
