Part of Wrexford & Sloane
First published 2018
Lord Wrexford finds a dead inventor in a London alley. The authorities call it robbery, but the victim's widow insists otherwise. Her husband's plans for a steam engine have vanished, and those designs could be worth enormous sums in the right hands. Wrexford teams up with Charlotte Sloane, a widow who secretly creates biting political cartoons under the name A. J. Quill. Charlotte's network of informants proves invaluable as they dig deeper into the case. Every suspect harbors secrets. The inventor's assistants nurse private ambitions. Wealthy investors circle like vultures. Even the grieving widow may not be what she appears. The investigation takes Wrexford and Charlotte through London's most dangerous neighborhoods. Wrexford brings scientific logic to the puzzle while Charlotte relies on sharp instincts about human nature. Together they start to piece together the true motive behind the murder. But their quarry is clever and ruthless, prepared to kill again to protect the stolen engine plans.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, clever, dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, hidden-identity, partners-in-crime, slow-burn-partnership
Setting: London, Half Moon Gate
Period: 19th-century
369 pages · Kindle Edition · Kensington Books/Kensington Publishing Corp.
Content warnings: murder, violence