The Debutante's Code (Thorndike \u0026 Swann Regency Mysteries #1) by Erica Vetsch

The Debutante's Code (Thorndike \u0026 Swann Regency Mysteries #1) Reviews

• 
  Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls)

  [4.5 stars.]
  Pre Teens- One Star
  New Teens- Two Stars
  Early High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
  Older High School Teens- Four Stars (and a half)
  My personal Rating- Four Stars (and a half)
  
  Okay, wait, that was so much fun.
  
  I picked this book up on a whim because 1.) regency 2.) spies and 3.) art mysteries. It’s easy to say, sold, sigh me up.
  
  I really liked Juliette and her thought processes felt very relatable in many ways. Juliette accepted her family’s secret quicker than most would, but it didn’t bother me much because she was determined to bring her parents home soon, so she quickly got to work. She struggled a lot with the concept of having to lie but yet also wanting to honor God in the way of how she was raised. I really appreciate that struggle being shown and while it wasn’t fully wrapped up by the end of this novel, I think it will be shown again and discussed more in the next book.
  
  I think my only negative was two minor things, but it did drop my rating from a 5 star to a 4.5: there was a lot of characters to keep up with. A lot. Because I read this book as an e-book I made use of the search feature often to remind me which Duke this was or who’s Christian name was so-and-so. The second would be that I had a bit of a hard time with the writing style, though, I’m wondering now if it was actually the font of the e-book that was different from normal.
  
  Another note: I absolutely adored was the use of different words. (I may have slightly swooned over the vocabularies found in this book.) There were so many new and usual words that I highlighted to save to use some day. It was so fun and the dictionary feature of the e-book system definitely came in handy. Most were of French origin and it made it feel very different from the other regency books I’ve read, in a good way.
  
  So, all of that was the cake itself and the icing, but the cherry on top of said cake was finding out that this series is going to continue to be about these same main characters, not a side character that we were introduced to. I don’t see many series published nowadays that follow the same main characters through out for how ever many books the series will be. I’m quite tickled pink, actually, about this development. That’s why the romance was super light in this book (though, I have to admit I’m a little concerned for the later books’ romance content…I really hope it stays on the lighter side) and wasn’t the main focus of the plot at all. It was so nice. It was very focused on the mystery that while Juliette and Daniel were noticing each other, it wasn’t over the top or anywhere near what the book was about. (Major plus in my eyes!)
  
  I’m so glad I randomly picked up this book as it’s now one of my top favorites from the year. I’m ready for the second book! :D
  
  
  
  Full Content Review & Link:
  Coming soon.
• 
  Mei

  Cute.
  I don't like my heroines to be so young and to act also very much in accordance to her age, but I cannot fault the book for this since it was coherent!
  
  I liked the story and it was intricate enough and full interesting information about artifacts.
  
  I didn't like often mentions about God and His will inserted randomly in the story. It just didn't rung true (for me at least).
  It seemed like forcing it into the sotry to make this a Christian romance...
  
  I'm still curious enough to see how things will proceede in the next book!
• 
  Sophia

  4.5* This was so awesome! It didn't feel like a normal 300+ page book; I say it quite a lot with books, but here too, time just zinged past so fast. I really enjoyed Juliette's character, even though I didn't connect with her as much. Ah, and Daniel Swann was the perfect detective! A little on the newbie side, and him being such a character. And this is going to be a continuing series!!! (can you hear me squealing?!) So there wasn't as much romance here, but that was hardly noticeable since a lot of the exciting stuff revolved around the mystery! Erica Vetsch is a superb writer. 😍😋
• 
  Paula Shreckhise

  This is Erica Vetsch at her very best. Absolutely everything that I love in a Regency mystery is in this story. It is satisfying, yet it whets my appetite for more.
  What is a debutante to do when she returns home after seven years to find her parents gone? She doesn’t know if they are in danger or just too preoccupied to care about her. When Juliette and Uncle Bertie are present at events where items are stolen, they are suspected by a detective, Daniel Swann. “The detective was handsome and interesting...and dangerous. He stirred in Juliette feelings of excitement tinged with guilt. His purpose was to dig out secrets and hers was to keep them hidden.”
  Daniel has secrets of his own that have direct bearing on his past and his future.
  Full of intrigue and clues to keep you guessing, this was an excellent start to a new series. I loved the disguises and the codes hidden in unlikely places, it reminded me of a Sherlock Holmes mystery. The characters were interesting and well represented. The plot was complex but moved at a pace that kept me turning pages.
  With one mystery solved, there are still things unfinished, namely what is going to happen on Daniel’s next birthday? His fate awaits in the next book. Too bad I have to wait til next year to find out!
  *I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kregel as a participant in the I Read With Audra Jennings book tour. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
• 
  Jocelyn Green

  It isn't easy to write a mystery, but Erica Vetsch has delivered one that kept me riveted from the first page to the last. I read this book in about two days, which shows how much I loved it. The fabulous cast of characters holds enough depth and variety to support what I hope will be a long series. The debutante the novel is named for isn't interested in romance, and this plot had no real need for it either. While balls, dinners, hunts, and partners abound, the real story was the puzzle Lady Juliette Thorndike and detective Daniel Swann were bent on solving. I won't mind at all watching a romantic attachment develop in the future, but The Debutante's Code is fully satisfying on the merits of its mystery alone.
• 
  Susan Snodgrass

  'Had everything in her life been leading to this moment? This choice? Had God been directing things to put her in this place for this purpose?'
  
  Erica Vetsch has begun an especially intriguing new series with The Debutante's code. Described as Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes, which is indeed a perfectly apt comparison, this takes the reader into the world of Regency England. And the world of spying.
  
  In the midst of stolen art, secret codes, nasty ruffians, a well brought up young aristocratic woman discovers the secret world of her parents. Will Lady Juliette decide to train as a spy? Especially when there is a dashing Bow Street Runner, Mr. Daniel Swann, on all the cases? Hmmm. You must read it to find out.
  
  Vetsch is always good and this offering is no exception. I am eagerly anticipating the next book in this series1
  
  My thanks to Kregel Publications for a copy of this book via the Net Galley platform. I was not pressured to leave a positive review. The opinion here is entirely my own.
• 
  Rachel McMillan

  from endorsement:
  
  
  The Debutante’s Code is alive with Erica Vetsch’s hallmark romance and impeccable research and some of my favourite catnip to boot! A strong and whip-smart heroine, Juliette Thorndike already stands out in a society of fox hunts and regattas but when she learns of a fascinating family secret, she is determined to live out the espionage and adventure in her blood. Thrown together with the dashing Daniel Swann, Juliette is cast into a world of The Bow Street Runners, mysterious clues and near danger— all brilliantly spun in Vetsch’s strong Regency-authentic voice. The Sanditon and Bridgerton loving crowd will fall hard for this delightful heroine and dashing hero and the the ease in which they appropriate the London ton on their pursuit of growing attraction and twisting and turning adventure. I look forward to many more instalments in this exciting new series. Erica Vetsch is at the top of her game!
  
• 
  Cara Putman

  Oh my goodness. I loved this regency story. There’s the hint of romance. Mystery. Whiffs of suspense. And rich details of the time period. I loved the heroine and felt for her as she comes home to disappoint and the unknown. A story that has me wishing the next book was out already. So good!
• 
  Brittany

  What a fascinating story and a wonderful trip into the world of Regency spies and Bow Street Runners! Lady Juliette’s debut season ended up being very different than she had imagined it would be. I felt for her as she grappled with wondering if she ever really knew her parents at all and even struggled with the idea that maybe she wasn’t very important to them. Yet, all the while, she worried for their safety as she and her uncle worked together to keep important information out of enemy hands.
  
  Daniel Swann, the Bow Street Runner assigned to the case of the stolen artwork, was an interesting and likable character. He had an intriguing back story that continued to impact his daily life and even, at times, the investigation. He and Lady Juliette ended up crossing paths all through the novel and it was fun to watch Daniel try to piece together the facts.
  
  Fans of the Serendipity and Secrets series will be happy to see a few familiar faces in a handful of scenes, yet this story is not dependent on that series, so don’t worry if you haven’t read it. The Debutante’s Code was a very enjoyable Regency mystery with just the beginnings of a hint at a romance that could develop in future books. It was a lot of fun to read.
  
  (4.5 stars)
  
  I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
  
  You can read this review on my blog:
  
  https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
• 
  Cindy Sheppard Gidge

  This has been intriguing as well as enlightening with regards to the spying aspect...I liked the spiritual references with her struggling to reconcile being a spy and lying with what God wanted, how he as well as her parents were watching over her even when she didn't realize it..... I was sometimes confused by who was who, what connections at times; perhaps it me being tired and falling asleep despite trying to stay awake to read!.... many unanswered questions that hope will be resolved such as the parentage of a main character!!....
• 
  Staci

  London 1816
  
  Fun start to a new historical mystery series!
  
  Lady Juliette returns home to London after spending several years away for her education. She's disappointed to find her parents aren't there to greet her and be a part of her debut season.
  
  My favorite character was Daniel Swann.
  
  The long chapters took a bit to get used to. Chapter One was 49 pages.
  
  Look forward to continuing the series.
• 
  Sophia

  “If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, then she must seek them abroad.” Jane Austen says of Catherine Morland in the beginning pages of Northanger Abbey. However, what is true for Catherine is decidedly not true for Lady Juliette Thorndike or the young Bow Street Runner trying to solve his first big case. Erica Vetsch introduces a sparkling new mystery series set in Regency London featuring an intrepid and unlikely detecting pair and a cunning mystery.
  
  Lady Juliette has been away seven years to a ladies’ seminary in Switzerland honing genteel accomplishments and studies while looking forward to the day she is to return home to the parents she is not embarrassed to miss terribly. After a harrowing journey home by way of Italy with her close school friend who will share her coming out, she is hurt to discover her parents gone away and not likely to return in time to help her through her societal debut.
  
  They are met at the boat by her ‘man about town’ and slightly ramshackle Uncle Bertie who deposits her into the hands of the Dowager Duchess of Haverly’s hands for guidance to the London Season and chaperonage throughout. At her introductory ball, things go from mildly pleasant to intriguing when her host’s expensive new piece of art turns up stolen.
  
  Daniel Swann knows he is a lucky man. Instead of growing up the illegitimate son of a servant and scrambling his way through life, an anonymous benefactor plucked him up and put him through the upper class schools and let him choose his own trade which the benefactor would subsidize through Daniel’s twenty-fifth birthday which is coming soon enough. Daniel wanted to help people and he has a yin for solving puzzles so he chose Bow Street as his vocation. Only, Daniel has run afoul of the superintendent’s own ambition to hire a nephew and was forced to take on Daniel in his stead. Now, his superintendent gives him tedious work and obscure cases and bides his time watching for Daniel to make the mistake that he can use to get rid of him. It infuriates the man when his veteran detectives are all busy on other cases and he has to give the high society art theft to Daniel. This is Daniel’s big chance and he won’t let a cranky boss, starchy aristocrats, or a young lady he suspects knows more than she’s saying get in his way. He hasn’t been on the case long when the art dealer who sold the painting is found knifed and his gallery turned upside down. Then there is another theft…
  
  Meanwhile, Lady Juliette makes a cryptic discovery hidden in the piano that turns all her assumptions about her parents upside down. Agents of the crown? Her parents? Uncle Bertie cautiously lets her in on the truth and now she is sworn to learn and follow in the path of her parents by apprenticing with Uncle Bertie if she is ever to help bring about her parents’ safe return. Balancing her first season, pursuing her new training, breaking the codes cleverly hidden away, and tracking down the traitors keeps a young lady’s calendar quite full and right in the crosshairs of the disconcerting Bow Street Runner who she can’t shake from the trail or that of the shadowy danger who has already killed more than once to get what they want.
  
  The Debutante’s Code was an amalgamation of all the good things with the bringing together of a Regency Romance and Historical Mystery with a fresh new class-difference partnership and a tantalizing whiff of romance between them. This book is a first in series and kept up a good pace though does have brief moments when it slows and strong development that happened naturally along the way.
  
  Juliette and Daniel take turns narrating their side of the story and introducing their separate class worlds and characters as well as themselves. I appreciated that the author created a few extra curiosities surrounding Daniel with his unknown benefactor and Juliette and her hidden family heritage. They both demonstrate separate, but partnering talents so that they come at the same problem with different end games and motives, but end up on the same side in the end in spite of their sometimes antagonism of one another. The author didn’t stint on the minor character development, either. I’ll be glad to see several return in subsequent books.
  
  All in all, I curtsey deeply in admiration to The Debutante’s Code and impatiently wait for further books in the series. Historical mystery lovers who don’t mind a dash of sweet, slow burn romance should slip this one into their book stacks when they get the chance.
  
  I rec'd an eARC from the publisher to read in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Rebecca

  "Disappointment was only a short step away from resentment, she found. For years she had made excuses . . . . . How did she honor her parents as God intended when their decisions thwarted the desires of her heart?"
  
  Returning home after years away at finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is met at the docks with disappointment; rather than the count and countess meeting her for a joyous reunion, her Uncle Betrand is there instead; short on excuses and anxious to be on with his business. With her debut into London society less than twenty-four hours away, Juliette cannot understand why her parents have assigned the dowager Haverly to chaperone her through the presentation. As it turns out, the entire debut proves to be most unusual, most unusual indeed, for who would imagine concluding a glorious evening being witness to a most unusual crime?
  
  When Bow Street runner Daniel Thorndike is called out to investigate the details surrounding a stolen painting, he invites himself into a lavish party scene, the guests being some of London's most recognizable elite who exhibit predictable displeasure about being questioned by the police. Upon further study, his attention cannot help but hover around the lovely Lady Thorndike, whose intelligence spills over into her every expression. Subsequently, when the one crime broadens into several, Daniel is forced to turn his focus back to the lady and her uncle, unknowingly becoming caught up in something far bigger than whether or not he can sustain his own career.
  
  What a rare find! A conventional mystery wrapped tightly within the embellishments of a fine Regency historical. It's clever, it's interesting, and it's incredibly enjoyable, for following the clues sends readers toward the same dead ends as the characters, who themselves are not even sure whom to trust. Needless to say, the author also smoothly incorporates the topics of abandonment, honesty, integrity, faith, doubt, and even love, for who hasn't uttered this sort of prayer; "God what should I do? Where can I turn?".
  
  Readers will be clamoring for more of "Thorndike and Swann"!
• 
  Elizabeth

  This was so much fun as evidenced by how quickly I read it. I am totally in for this series and these characters. And spies? Yes please! Seriously, there were so many good characters in this and the mystery was compelling. I had several thoughts about who the bad guy could be. An early guess was right but then I thought it was two other people later on and was definitely wrong about both. I love the artwork theme in this. There was a flavor of the Scarlet Pimpernel too, which I loved. The author had clearly done an immense amount of research. Most impressive. Loved it!
  
  Oh and there was a surprise towards the end that I did not see coming but it was amazing!!!
• 
  Robin Loves Reading

  Unknowingly trained in the art of spying, had the time come for Lady Juliette Thorndike to step into her predetermined role? Having completed finishing school, Juliette should now be preparing for her debut. Excited to see her parents again after several years, imagine Juliette's disappointment to find them gone and her uncle there in their stead. He is her Uncle Bertie and his reasons for their absence are very unclear to her.
  
  Juliette begins to settle in, but strange things begin happening. There are a series of thefts that begin to occur and the detective handling things, Daniel Swann, has a lot of questions. One of them is why it seems more than coincidental that the thefts occur whenever Juliette or Bertie are present. Of course, they are innocent and what better way for them to prove that by looking for clues on their own. Not only will they maintain their innocence, but they will find answers that appear to be deluding Daniel.
  
  It doesn't take Daniel very long to realize that Juliette just might be an excellent ally, despite the danger that begins to escalate for everyone involved. Meanwhile, Juliette still pines for her parents and pieces of a puzzle slowly begin to come together, possibly connecting their absence with current events.
  
  One exciting thing about this delightful book is the way Juliette started looking for answers and that had to do with the way her father communicated with her in letters while she was away at school. Bertie led her to a set of clues that were similar wo what she read in those letters. I loved how the pair of them solved clue after clue - and avoided Daniel Swann when necessary - to solve the thefts.
  
  Mystery, intrigue and a slow-brewing romance all came together in another wonderful book by Erica Vetsch. I loved the pacing of this book and really enjoyed how everything came together in the end. I smiled from ear to ear as this happened, leaving me more than eager for the next book in a series that I cannot wait to continue.
  
  Many thanks to Kregel Publications and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
• 
  Lucy

  Regency spiced up with mystery, secret codes, family secrets, and a swoon worthy Bow Street runner named Daniel Thorndike. Doesn’t that name just have your imagination working to picture that dashing hero. It would be scary to be thrown into the world of spies that Lady Juliette finds herself immersed in. I admire her strength and faith that carries her through. The twists and turns of this story is like trying to get out of an escape room. I laughed out loud at a few situations and was trying to figure out how the pieces fit at the next situation. The build up was spot on and had me wanting more by the end. What a bang up job to start this new series. Anxious to read the next book in this series.
  I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
• 
  Amanda

  I really enjoyed this Regency mystery! It was fun, with lots of unexpected twists. It left me with just enough unanswered questions to make me excited to read the next book in the series. This is my first read from this author. I will definitely read more from her!
• 
  Joan

  This novel was not only entertaining but informative. I always appreciate learning something when I read historical fiction and this novel provided insights into spies during the Regency era. There's stolen art involved and the Author's Note gives great information on the art and artifacts mentioned.
  
  Vetsch has crafted a good heroine too. I like Lady Juliette. I could really identify with her wanting to be where the action was happening. I liked that she was good at code breaking thanks to her father's coded letters to her. And I like Daniel, a Bow Street investigator. He gives readers a good sense of how crimes were investigated at the time. I can see future adventures involving Juliette and Daniel, perhaps even a possible romance despite their difference in social circles.
  
  I liked the combination of mystery and espionage. Vetsch has done a great job setting this novel firmly in the society and culture of the day. There is another in the series already in progress and I will be watching for it.
  
  I received a complimentary egalley through I Read With Audra. My comments are an independent and honest review.
• 
  Tressa (Wishful Endings)

  3.5 Stars
  
  THE DEBUTANTE'S CODE is about a woman who is finally coming home after her schooling to make her debut into society and a man who is trying to prove himself as a Bow Street Runner. Their lives intertwine when a string of crimes involve both of them. Readers of the genre will enjoy getting to know these characters and journey along on this adventure, while fans of the author will enjoy another entertaining read plus a few cameos from a prior series.
  
  I really enjoyed these characters. Juliette is this mix of innocent youth and determination. She's intelligent, loyal and is trying to figure out who she wants to be. Daniel is a detective who has been blessed with opportunity but also doubted because of it. He's intelligent, hard working, and also trying to figure out if he can permanently earn his place as a detective. I liked how these two meet and the chemistry that develops between them. I liked that romance doesn't overtake the story. There really isn't actually much romance at all, but more of two individuals who are aware and attracted to each other as the story unfolds. I also liked the overall plot of coded messages in artwork. I loved the secondary characters and the cameos of characters from the prior series. I also really love the idea of a series focusing on Juliette and Daniel and am looking forward to seeing what their next mystery will involve.
  
  There were some things that didn't work for me. I felt like the some of the spying aspects were not as well done as I would have liked. Some things just didn't make logical sense to me, including the whole reason for Juliette's parents to be absent. Other things weren't handled very carefully and clues that felt apparent to me were somehow missed by the good guys. Also the conclusion was a bit unrealistic with its timetable and some of the characters' reactions. The religious aspect also felt a bit forced instead of being weaved through the story more naturally. I think I just wanted a more sophisticated, realistic or logical plot that felt fully developed. Not to say I didn't enjoy the story because I did. I just wanted more from it.
  
  In the end, was it what I wished for? This was an overall entertaining read with delightful characters and an engaging plot. I'm looking forward to the next adventure in this series.
  
  Content: Clean
  Source: I received a complimentary copy through Audra Jennings Book PR, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
• 
  Mimi

  What an absolutely delightful story! I know, it's a mystery, but it WAS delightful. Delightfully mysterious!
  
  Lady Juliette Thorndike returns from university with her friend Agatha Montgomery just in time for craziness to start happening everywhere they go! Missing artifacts, robberies, and murder just to name a few. Bow Street detective, Daniel Swann, is on the case though, but nothing seems to be adding up. He and Ed, a fellow Bow Street gent, try to unravel the mystery of missing items, thefts, and murder.
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed Juliette. She was clear headed and very inquisitive. Agatha is like every other debutante though and is focused solely on the Season. While Juliette wants to spend the Season getting back into her London life, Agatha has a Duke in her sights. Daniel is struggling with what he's going to do with his future. His mysterious benefactor is cutting off his finances and his job is in peril. Honestly, he's had it rough and is one very discouraged fellow. He's the lead investigator, and he just wants to leave his job on a high note by solving the case.
  
  Now, in regards to the mysterious happenings, I'll tell you what, I knew who was the bad guy from the start... until I didn't! The further I got into the story I kept thinking I might NOW know who the bad guy was and realized I didn't. The author keeps the twists and turns coming until the very end! As pieces of the puzzle unfolded, I was more and more surprised! I loved it!
  
  I thought Juliette's faith journey was a very interesting one. Throughout the story, she based her relationship with God on what her parents taught her, but with what she learns, she wonders how her faith now fits into what she learned growing up. And with Daniel, being fatherless & being turned away by his mother, he struggles to believe in God.
  
  *I received this book for review. This is my personal opinion.
• 
  Jennifer Purcell

  The Debutante’s Code kicks off a Regency mystery series with a captivating story filled with twists and turns.
  
  I had trouble putting this book down. I already loved Erica Vetsch’s Regency novels, but The Debutante’s Code is in a league all its own. With an engaging mystery that pulls you in from the beginning, this novel kept me turning pages as Juliette tries to navigate London society while hiding her secret.
  
  Daniel Swann is an excellent character that not only provides conflict for Juliette but almost stole the show himself. I loved his mysterious backstory. As Vetsch revealed bits and pieces, I became even more enthralled. I loved seeing him work to solve the mystery and piece everything together.
  
  The surprise ending was a definite plus, and I admire how Vetsch wrapped everything up. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
  
  Overall, The Debutante’s Code is a must read for fans of Regency romance and mysteries.
  
  (Note: I received a complimentary copy for review. All opinions expressed are my own.)
• 
  Connie Saunders

  Erica Vetsch is a name that I associate with entertaining historical fiction, and this book proves what I already know. Vetsch is an expert in researching the topics she is writing about, and she has a unique talent for weaving fiction and nonfiction together. The Debutante's Code is an intriguing story set in early 1800 England, and it introduces the characters of Lady Juliette Thorndike and investigator Daniel Swann, two people drawn into a fascinating tale of spies, Bow Street runners (London police), art thieves, and deception.
  
  The Debutante's Code is the introduction of the Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries and I look forward to reading more of their exciting adventures. Juliette and Daniel are characters that I want to know better, and there's a hint of romance between them that I'm hoping will develop as the series continues. I recommend this book to all who enjoy Regency fiction.
  
  I voluntarily accepted this book from Kregel via I Read with Audra Blog Tours but there was no obligation for a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.
• 
  Nora St Laurent

  The Serendipity & Secrets series was such a delightful one to read, which made me want to read the new series by this talented author. I didn’t let the book cover stop me from opening the first book in this series. I felt the beginning was a little slow as readers meet and get to know Lady Juliette Thorndike. She returned home, looking forward to and excited about being with her parents. It’s been years since they’ve seen each other. Juliette was thrilled they would be there to encourage her at her London society debut. She also hoped to reconnect with old friends. I wasn’t quite sure where the author was going with Lady Juliette and her friend, but I hung in there.
  
  Things get interesting when her homecoming goes a bust and hobnobbing with high society gets exhausting. Matters heat up as Juliette and her uncle attend these parties’ and then expensive pieces of artwork disappear with everyone in attendance. How could that happen? No one saw anything.
  
  That’s when readers meet Daniel Swann, a Bow Street investigator. Daniel suspects Lady Juliette of foul play. Every party she and her uncle attended had a robbery. Coincidence? I think not. The story takes a gripping and suspenseful twist when things turn deadly. It’s then Lady Juliette discovers the game that her and her father had been playing all these years was actual training to decode secret messages. That’s when the fun begins. I could not put this novel down. I look forward to the next adventure.
  
  It was fun to learn about the historical facts dug up in this author’s research that made it into the book. I’m excited to see what suspenseful adventure this author takes readers next. Here’s a peek at the second book titled, Millstone & Doubt. “A body is discovered in rubble after a mill explosion…but it may have been murder. Not a tragic accident…can Thorndike and Swan find the killer – or will their own ??? faults get in the way of solving this mystery?”
  
  If you haven’t read a novel by this author, treat yourself to this one. The story is a wonderful escape and one that would work well as your next book club pick.
  
  Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
  
  Nora St. Laurent
  TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
  The Book Club Network blog
  www.bookfun.org
• 
  Lori

  First in an all brand new series and very exciting too! What an awesome read! I just simply couldn't put down! Thank you Ms. Vetsch! Your best yet! I hated to see it come to an end. I loved it all! From the mystery to the twists and turns in the story. This book for sure will keep you on your toes! Yes, I even found myself grinning from time to time. While I liked Juliette and her friend I found another character that I loved even more. Even the bad characters were well done! I must say I sure didn't like that Mr. Ricter! Geeze! I even smiled at Mr. Bertie a time or too! I especially liked learning about the pieces of the art world. How fascinating! I really could see these pieces in my mind. They were absolutely exquisite! This book will be on my list for 2021. It's my favorite book! I'm still blown away by thinking about this story! My heart is full. 5 stars! My thanks to Kregal publications for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a p
• 
  Faith

  Bow Street runner Daniel Swann and Debutante Juliette Thorndike keep running into each other in unconventional ways as their missions intersect they are in a race against the clock.
  
  A wonderful introduction to the characters of a brand new series by Erica Vetsch, and if you've read her last series you may even recognize some familiar faces along the way. Filled with intrigue and mystery, I liked how this book has the characters circling each other as they work on their separate but connected missions. This book is unique in that you get to know the characters more as individuals as they aren't working together, but do keep running into each other through out the book.
  
  Overall, a fun fast paced adventure with intriguing characters and fun interactions. A twisting plot with great reveals long the way. I can't wait to see where this dynamic duo will go next!
  
  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
• 
  Judith DeStefano

  "The Debutante's Code" is a historical read with mystery, art, espionage, and light romance. Erica Vetsch wrote a regency era story that was more than "will she get together with the guy?" Hurray!
  
  Juilette is eager to see her parents after so many years of her being away at school in Switzerland. However, her parents have recently left the city. Why would they pass up the chance to see their daughter after such a long separation? Soon she becomes an active part in a family secret. Still, Juliette wishes she could discuss the ethics of her actions with her parents.
  
  The second point of view in the book is Daniel, a Bow Street Detective. As he commences work on an art theft case, he desires to prove himself as a detective. Even as an adult, he still feels the sting of his mother's seeming rejection of him.
  
  Of course, Juliette and Daniel are attracted to each other, but this isn't a story about their courtship. Perhaps the next book will develop that story arc further, but I'm glad the author decided not to major on that topic.
  
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  Anne

  4.5 STARS
  
  I’ve said often that Regency is my favorite genre to read and this one hits it on the mark for me. I always adore the stories that are filled with ball gowns and romance but when you add in elements of mystery involving spies and secret codes and such, well….I am hooked!!
  
  The Debutante’s Code was a fun read! Early on I thought I knew who would be the culprit of one of the thefts. While I was correct in whom I was guessing, I was completely and utterly wrong about motive, which made me even more of a fan of this book because I usually figure out mysteries pretty quick.
  
  Juliette’s and Daniel’s romance flows organically in the story while they sleuth and I look forward to their future books. It was also nice seeing Lord Haverly from Vetsch’s Serendipity & Secrets series. If you enjoy Regency era stories, be sure and grab a copy of this one. It’s a keeper!
  
  I received a copy of the book form the publisher through Audra Jennings PR for review purposes. No compensation has been received.
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  Katrina Lybbert

  A great start to the Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries. I enjoyed meeting Juliette and Daniel and being introduced to these characters. They were also just meeting each other in this book and so were working on the mystery separately. I think it will be fun to see them work together more in future books.