Part of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, book 6
First published 2003
A wounded man appears at the door of Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell, desperate for help. He tells them about Marsh Hughenfort, younger brother of the Duke of Beauville, who has returned to England after his brother's death. Marsh wants to uncover the truth behind a family scandal that began in 1918, when Gabriel Hughenfort, the duke's son and heir, died under circumstances that sparked vicious rumors. Holmes travels to London to investigate Gabriel's military service during the Great War. Russell attends a shooting party that goes wrong. Their search involves a missing diary and stolen letters. The investigation takes them from an English village to Paris and across the Atlantic to the American frontier. Holmes must use his skills of disguise while Russell ventures into dangerous territory. They race to expose a killer who may target them next. The case tests both detectives as they navigate family secrets, wartime mysteries, and a villain determined to protect deadly truths.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, mystery, thriller, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: England, Paris, America
Period: 1918, Great War
352 pages · Paperback · HarperCollins