I really enjoyed this mystery. I loved the characters and the setting. Charlotte is a widow in London. To make a living she sells political and newsworthy drawings using a nom de plume. The Earl of Wexford is a man of science and does not suffer fools gladly. When a Reverend is found murdered and he is the prime suspect he sets out to solve the mystery with the help of Charlotte. The mystery was good and the solution made sense. I look for word to reading the next book in the series. Enjoy

I really wanted to like this book, I love historical fiction and murder mysteries and this book paired them in London. The characters were flat though, I just couldn't find myself caring about them. Perhaps because this book is the second in a series, the author had more character development in the first book or intends to continue the development in later books, but each book should be able to stand alone.

Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose is a 2017 Kensington publication.

A thrilling new Regency period mystery series-

A.J. Quills is a political satirist, sketching scathing cartoons, which often make his subjects squirm. However, most people are unaware that A.J. Quills is not at all the person they believe him to be.

When the Earl of Wrexford becomes the primary suspect in a murder investigation, he is unnerved by Quill’s sketches, which would suggest the artist was either on the scene of the crime or has inside information.

Once his informers have located the enigmatic cartoonist, Wrexford is surprised to make the acquaintance of Charlotte Sloane. Seeing his advantage, Wrexford agrees to keep her secret, if she will help him clear his name. Thus, begins an uneasy alliance between the pair. But, as the mystery behind the murder deepens, suggesting a secret club could be responsible, Charlotte and Wrexford become a solid, if unlikely, detective team.

Andrea Penrose is the pseudonym for Cara Elliott and Andrea Pickens, who has written a fair amount of Regency period romance novels. Now, she is exploring the darker side of the era, with this atmospheric mystery, chock full of intrigue and sinister goings on.

Scientific experiments, secret clubs, occult rituals, reveal the underbelly of London society, but could also be linked to the death of Charlotte’s husband. The plot is complex and there is quite a lot going on. The story is not hard to follow, but I did find myself slowing down and reading more carefully to be sure I was understanding all the various threads and intrigues.

This feels like a pretty ambitious undertaking, and has some rocky moments here and there, but overall, this is a very impressive beginning to a new series. Penrose obviously knows her history, having researched this era for quite some time, but I must say the underside of aristocracy is a much more fertile ground to explore. While I enjoy Penrose’s stories from the lighter side of the Regency era, this is a much more interesting type of story, and is far more challenging. I am happy Penrose has taken a break from an overly saturated sub-genre and spread her creative wings a little. I hope this series catches on, as I do think it shows a great deal of promise.

4 stars

An impeccably written, exciting, intriguing, engrossingly tangled and twisted regency mystery. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. The characters are fully developed and deep with flaws and secrets I’m sure we’ll learn more about as the series goes on. I am so very excited that this is a series and we will get to know them all better. If you are a fan of Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries, you will absolutely LOVE this one.

This is the first book I have read by Andrea Penrose or any of her other pen names -- Cara Elliott for Grand Central and Andrea Pickens for NAL, but I can’t wait to read more of this series and to also check out her other Regency mystery series.

I have to admit that my two favorite characters in the book are the two street urchins – Raven and Hawk. They are intelligent and wise beyond their years and even though they have lived their lives, alone, in the stews of St. Giles, they still have sweet and innocent hearts. It will be interesting to see if, over time, they give up being street urchins and let Charlotte care for them.

Since the series is named Quill Mystery, I assume that the main character will be Charlotte Sloane, also known as A. J. Quill. She is the most popular satirical cartoonist in England, but she must guard her identity and gender. She is very intelligent, feisty and not afraid of anything – at least she thinks she isn’t. One of the facts that is uncovered in this mystery is the facts behind the death of her talented artist husband Anthony. She also has another, even bigger, secret in her past and it is hinted at, but not revealed in this book.

The Earl of Wrexford has a brilliant, logical scientific mind and thinks he is incapable of any of the softer feelings. He is also a brilliant chemist – although he keeps that part of his life well hidden. All is logic with Wrexford. So, when everyone thinks he’s the person who murdered a Reverend he’s been publicly feuding with, he decides that he must solve the murder in order to save himself. His first order of business is to uncover the identity of A. J. Quill who has been skewering him in cartoons. The drawings are absolutely too accurate and therefore the artist must know something. There is also some hinted mystery with the death of Wrexford’s brother and I came to feel as if that was what caused Wrexford to close himself off from the softer feelings in life.

Although there is no romance in this book between Charlotte and Wrexford, they do develop a friendship and I hope it will develop into a romance over the course of the series. We do see a bit of ‘softening’ in Wrexford over the course of the book.

The secondary characters in the book are also great and it will be fun to watch their growth over the course of the series. There is Wrexford’s valet cum lab assistant who is smart and sassy. Then, there is Wrexford’s friend who is always short of funds and isn’t thought to be particularly intelligent. We also have a Scot doctor who does the autopsies and is gifted at interpreting what he is finding – Oh shades of St. Cyr Mysteries with their Scot anatomist.

The mystery is full of twists and turns and people with intertwining plots. You’ll have a time figuring out who murderer is and how all of the plots fit together.

"I requested and received this 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." --reviewed by Barbara

This Regency Era mystery grabs you from the very first chapter and doesn't let you go until the very end. I love a good mystery and it set in this era, all the better. Unique characters, puzzling intrigue, and more than enough villains and potential villains keep the reader immersed in a fascinating storyline. Fearing giving away too much, I don't wish to go into story detail. I will say the Earl of Wrexford is a very usual member of society. He meets his match in Charlotte Sloane, a widow who is much more than what meets the common eye. What brings these two diverse characters together? This is the first Andrea Penrose book I have read. It definitely will not be the last. The next in series featuring these same characters is already loaded in my paperwhite. I can't wait to see what direction these two take so I will be reading Murder at Half Moon Gate next.

"In Regency London, an unconventional scientist and a fearless female artist form an unlikely alliance to expose unspeakable evil...

The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. He does not suffer fools gladly. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back. As their war of words escalates, London’s most popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a church—his face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to ear—and Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect.

An artist in her own right, Charlotte Sloane has secretly slipped into the persona of her late husband, using his nom de plume A.J. Quill. When Wrexford discovers her true identity, she fears it will be her undoing. But he has a proposal—use her sources to unveil the clergyman’s clandestine involvement in questionable scientific practices, and unmask the real murderer. Soon Lord Wrexford and the mysterious Mrs. Sloane plunge into a dangerous shadow world hidden among London’s intellectual enclaves to trap a cunning adversary—before they fall victim to the next experiment in villainy..."

Even if the blurb didn't make me go YAS, as does the author, Lauren Willig's recommendation makes this a must read.

There were many things I enjoyed about this book. One of London's most infamous clergyman is found dead and while there is not a shortage of suspects, the Earl of Wrexford is the prime suspect. His innocence is further questions because a popular cartoonist, A.J. Quill keeps publishing artistic pieces which puts Wrexford's character under more and more scrutiny. So Wrexford, knowing the local police want nothing more to arrest him and put the case to rest, ventures out to solve the case for himself and along the way, he finds the most unusual of allies.

I though the mystery in "Murder on Black Swan Lane" was well done and quite complex. I was pretty much unable to figure out the identity of the real culprit, which made me devour the book that much more quickly. I also really liked the characters in the book as well as their relationships with each other. Sloane, a struggling widow who plays prominently in the book, has taken two devilish youngsters under her wing named Raven and Hawk and I loved them as well as how they looked out for Sloane and always seemed to know what was going on in the underbelly of the city. Finally, Penrose's writing flows easily and is quite enjoyable. The book is full of banter and quick wit which I love.

If you love London setting and Victorian mysteries, don't wait as long as I did to pick this book up. Also, the second installment was recently released and yes, I plan on reading it much sooner than I did "Murder on Black Swan Lane."

An interesting new historical English mystery is the possible start of a new series. Featuring a detective pairing of a political satirist and a bored aristocrat. The aristocrat is suspected in the murder of a minister who he was having a public feud with. The feud was the subject of the artist's political cartoons. Both could be suspects of the Bow Street Runners who just want the case solved quickly not necessarily correctly.
The two snoops have different ways of finding out information will they be able to figure out who the real murdered is before the runners arrest the wrong man?

Fans of Anne Perry will love this book .

Alchemy, arcane arts and murder!

Reading the first couple of pages of this new series I gave a 'Ho Hum'. Except, those Ho's and Hum's soon turned into 'Oh My's. All I can say is that this new Regency Mystery is masterful--a page turner!
The Earl of Wrexford, a brilliant man of science, doesn't suffer fools gladly and has been carrying on a damning, acerbic public conversation with the Reverend Josiah Holworthy.
When Holworthy is found with his throat cut and his face disfigured by chemicals, the Earl is suspected of his murder. His case is not helped by the cleverly penned caricatures from the caustic artist A.J. Quill that hit the London streets featuring the very public fight between the two men.
Widowed Charlotte Sloane is a talented and clever caricaturist always looking for someone to skewer with her rapier pen work in broadsheet illustrations, created under the name of A.J. Quill, the public name used by her late husband.
When the Earl and Charlotte meet, their combined aim is to find who the murder is and how that ties into the use of chemicals. Arcane practices rear their head. Their search for information on the various chemical compounds in relationship to alchemy is fascinating, as is the fact that Newton apparently was interested in this study.
Charlotte is somewhat mysterious, including how come she understands Latin, (maybe that will become more evident in the future). Who is her mysterious friend Jeremy who has access into the ton?
There is a plethora of fascinating secondary characters. Tyler, Wrexford's valet, Raven and Hawk, two young urchins, street savvy and endearing, and informants of Charlotte's.
The Author's notes about satirical caricaturists and alchemy is illuminating.
A dazzling start to a new series. I'm hooked!

A NetGalley ARC

I would like to thank Kensington Books for providing me with a free electronic ARC of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an open and honest review.

Well, what can I say, it was a historical novel set in the Regency era, it was a sort of cosy crime mixed into historical crime and… as those are my three favourite things to look for in fiction, how could I not have enjoyed ‘Murder on Black Swan Lane’?

Add that it is the first in a very promising new series ‘A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery’ and all in all I was a totally satisfied reader. Yes some may expect me to have graded it higher if I liked it so much, but let’s just say I am pacing myself and hoping the books in the series just get better and better so my score can rise, rather than fall - as it has done with recent series I read.

I feel the other reason I didn’t score it higher is I couldn’t quite decide what genre I would describe it as… Regency era adventure? Historic Crime? Cosy crime? It was all three in places - and very good at all of them - but I just need to find one that suits my personal categorisation of works best. Not a fault with ‘Murder on Black Swan Lane’ or the author. Simply down to me and which of these genres attracted me the most. Yeah, no, that doesn’t make sense to you does it? But it’s how I feel, and my blog so my right to confuse you. ;-)

Let’s get into reviewing the book properly. The characters were well written and there was proof that research of the Regency era had been undertaken to bring the work to life. I will state here that I am a HUGE fan of Marion Chesney’s Regency novels (not just the romance ones) and so will admit her vivid descriptions of that time period do colour my imagination and will mean I compare other works to hers…So ‘Murder on Black Swan Lane’ was good… but just not as descriptive for my liking. But I am picky and we all know it.

I enjoyed the changing between characters so we got the story from both sides - both the male and female protagonists. It was clear and very easy to discern who was telling the story at the time, unlike other books that attempt this style of narration. And I thoroughly enjoyed that it wasn’t a romance hidden in a cosy historical crime! Yes there was attraction and even I was wondering where it was leading… but the story stuck to the crime and solving them and all in all satisfied me more than any marriage and HEA ever could.

Though I am sure the possibility may end up being there later in the series… not that I would mind that either. ;-)

The characters were all well-defined and easy to tell apart - something not all authors can pull off when there are multiple people at play. And there was just the right amount of red herrings and padding out of the storyline to keep me interested and not be distracted by feeling the tale was going off tangent.

Yes I eventually guessed the whodunit before they did… but it took me a while longer than normal and I do love an author who can make me keep guessing rather than spoon feeding me the answer right off and think they are being tricky in hiding it. Not with ‘Murder on Black Swan Lane’! No, it was the perfect balance of crime, adventure, historical padding, friendships and red herrings. A very enjoyable story.

Would I recommend this book to others?

Yes I would, but again I would be confused who to suggest it to. As in, those who enjoy Regency Era tales may like it… but as so many Regency books are all about the romance, maybe they wouldn’t? Would cosy crime lovers enjoy it? I mean, I love a good cosy crime, but most cosy crimes need to be set in modern times to be classified as such.

Then there is the whole Historical Crime lovers… they might not feel there was enough history involved to truly make it meet their criteria. It’s all so confusing.

So I will just say - I am a lover of all three genres and I enjoyed this book so I would recommend it and hope for the best! ;-)

Would I buy this book for myself?

Yes I would. I am already looking forward to any new books in the series and will be following Ms Penrose on Amazon just to ensure I know when they come out. ‘Murder on Black Swan Lane’ is definitely a cosy, historical, Regency crime book for me, and so will any further novels in the ‘A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery’ series!

In summary: a very enjoyable crime fiction book and the start to a very promising new series!

The first episode in what this reviewer, at least, hopes is a long running series, takes place in Regency London, replete with bad neighborhoods, shady science and places you do nor go to after dark - a page turner from first to last. Two unforgettable characters, the Earl of Wrexford and Mrs. Charlotte Sloane, a widowed charicaturist, join forces to solve a series of murders and prevent their own.
There is a little bit of something for everyone here, in a well written, well plotted historical murder mystery.
More, please.

Andrea Penrose has written an intriguing regency mystery in Murder on Black Swan Lane. Mrs. Sloan, a satirical cartoonist of the ton's foibles and the Earl of Wexford are drawn together to solve murders that started with the lady's deceased husband and continued into high society. Alchemy and art forgeries combined with violence. Read this very good mystery. Hope for more in the series

Lord Wrexford had been having a loud, vociferous, and continuous argument with a local clergyman in the newspaper so, when that clergyman is murdered, it is no surprise that Wrexford is now the main suspect. To help him solve the murder before he is hanged, he decides to seek answers from A.J. Quill, a popular political cartoonist who has produced a very accurate illustration of the murder scene and seems to always know everything that is happening among the Aristocracy. However, when he seeks out the artist, he is shocked to find that Quill is a woman, a widow named Charlotte Sloane, and she gets much of her information from two young street urchins, Raven and Hawk, whom she has been caring for. As Wrexford and Sloane work together to discover the identity of the real murderer, it becomes clear that this murder is linked to the earlier death of Sloane’s husband and there is a great deal more at stake here than the pair could have imagined.

Set in the Regency period, Murder on Black Swan Lane is the first in a new historical mystery series by author Andrea Penrose. The novel is well-plotted and engaging with likeable characters. Wrexford and Sloane make an interesting duo, he logical and grounded in science but with a temper that flares up a bit too easily and seemingly always at the wrong time and she an artist, intuitive, able to quickly make connections between seemingly disparate clues but able to back up her intuition with reasonable explanations. But it is Raven and Hawk perhaps most of all that grab the reader’s empathy and make this book great fun to read. I will definitely be looking out for the next in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

A novel set in the Regency era of England which is not an era that is used that much in the fiction that I'm drawn to and, as such, presented an interesting background for what is just an okay mystery. It's clever, but it's not going to set the world on fire. To be strictly fair the sort of slogging feeling I felt could be a function of world-setting, as there's a lot of heavy lifting here with regard to what will be our protagonists. A recommend for sure, but only just.

Thanks Kensington Books and netgalley for this ARC.

This next book cant come fast enough for me! I love a good historical mystery and this one is superb!

Zu Beginn des Buches findet ein geheimnisvolles Treffen zwischen einem Geistlichen und einem Unbekannten statt, es geht um fragwürdige wissenschaftliche Ambitionen. Da sie sich nicht handelseinig werden, gibt es ein abruptes unschönes Ende.

Dann beginnt das Buch mit dem Earl of Wrexford, der sich gerade über die letzte satirische Karikatur zu den schwelenden Streitigkeiten zwischen ihm und dem Reverend Josiah Holworthy ärgert. Kurz darauf erfährt er, dass eben dieser just abgeschlachtet wurde. Ein Bow Street Runner sucht ihn auf, da er der Hauptverdächtige im Mordfall ist.

Dann lernen wir A.J. Quill den Karikaturisten kennen, überraschenderweise eine Frau. Charlotte Sloane lebt seit dem Tod ihres Mannes in ärmlichen Verhältnissen. Die Einnahmen ihrer Bilder werden dringend benötigt, da sie auch noch die zwei Straßenjungen Raven und Hawk durchfüttert. Diese tragen ihr aber den Tratsch der Straße zu und machen Botengänge für sie. Sie waren es auch, die sie ganz zeitig zur Leiche von Reverend Josiah Holworthy gebracht haben, so dass sie ein sehr detailgenaues Bild des Tatortes machen konnte, sogar von dem durch eine verspritzte Chemikalie entstellten Gesicht des Opfers. Auf der Suche nach Beweisen, die ihn entlasten könnten, beschließt der Earl of Wrexford, dass er den Zeichner als wichtigen Augenzeugen braucht und startet eine Suche nach ihm.

Sein Diener Tyler drängt ihn die Ermittlungen selber voran zu treiben, um sich selber zu entlasten und um seine Langeweile mit diesem Rätsel zu unterbrechen. Obwohl er sich zunächst sträubt, stecken sie nach den ersten Fragen, nach der beim Mord verwendeten Chemikalie, schon mitten im Fall drin.

Sehr schnell ergibt seine Suche eine Adresse und dort entdeckt er, dass hinter den Werken von A.J. Quill in Wirklichkeit seine Witwe Charlotte steckt. Er erpresst sie dazu, ihn bei den Ermittlungen zu unterstützen.

Im Verlauf der Geschichte reiben sich die beiden unentwegt aneinander und messen ihre Intelligenz bei der Klärung des Falles. Was sich in ihren bissigen, ironischen Dialogen zeigt. Auch die Dialoge mit seinem skurrilen Freund Sheffield und seinem sympathischen Kammerdiener Tyler sind schlagkräftig. Tyler ist ein herrliches Faktotum, dass dem Earl weit mehr ist als nur ein Diener. Ein interessanter Nebencharakter ist auch der Chirurg und Pathologe Henning.

Der Fall ist voller Geheimnisse und Schatten und nicht wie die vom Earl verehrte Wissenschaft voll Logik und Verstand. Der Fall wendet und windet sich, das Geheimnis wird immer undurchschaubar. Es fühlt sich für Wrexford an als wäre er in ein schwarzes Loch gefallen, er ist frustriert. Charlotte ist tapfer bei jedem weiteren Schritt dabei, auch wenn ein weiterer grausamer Mord zeigt, dass ganz erhebliche Gefahren drohen. Allerdings kann sie dazu nicht in dem besseren Kreisen verkehren, stattdessen beginnt sie sich mit der Alchemie und ihrer Symbolik zu beschäftigen, da sich eine diesbezügliche düstere und mystische Verstrickung aufzeigt. Außerdem begibt sie sich durch neue provokative Zeichnungen weiter in Gefahr.

Charlotte und der Earl wachsen einem ans Herz, wobei er seine aristokratischen Ecken und Kanten hat. Wrexford hat einen trockenen Humor und lässt selten etwas unkommentiert. Er findet Charlotte mutig, aber zeitweise auch unvernünftig und starrsinnig.

Mit einer überraschenden Aufdeckung wird dann klar was hinter den beiden Morden und den Geheimnissen darum steckt. Aber nichtsdestotrotz rückt die Stunde der Verhaftung immer näher, die Bow Street Runner lassen sich nicht länger hin halten. Dann spitzt sich die Lage dramatisch und scheinbar ausweglos zu. Doch eine bunte Truppe schafft es am Ende mutig und raffiniert die Oberhand zu gewinnen und die Geschichte zu einem guten Schluss zu führen.

Fazit: Ein gelungener historischer Krimi, der Lust auf Folgebände macht.

4,5 von 5 Punkten

Very engaging regency mystery. Looking forward to more in the series and learning about Charlottes past.
Goodreads

Enjoy this author, so looking forward to this book. Regency mystery with two main characters trying to find out who murdered the victim before our hero is charged with the murder. Love the secondary characters (and characters from the author's other Regency series) Hope there will be another book.

One of the best mysteries I've read this year, so far.

While combing through the catalog of titles on Netgalley, I happened to come across this one and admittedly, was captivated by the cover. I am not really sure why, I mean it’s not like it’s really that new and eye catching….I feel like I’ve seen a ton of books with similar titles that I was passed by in favor of something more eye catching.

But for some reason I paused on this one long enough to read the summary. Again, nothing terribly fresh but yet it sounded like just the thing I was looking for…..something predictable. I was dying to read another British detective mystery novel and this sounded like just that. So I clicked on request and once it was approved, I started in on what I expected to be a run of the mill detective novel.

The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. He does not suffer fools gladly. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back.

As their war of words escalates, London’s most popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a church—his face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to ear—and Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect (summary from Goodreads).


So the plot sounds like something you have read before am I right? Rogue-ish lord with a flair for unconventional hobbies gets framed for murder, meets quirky side kick and/or love interest and together they solve the crime. Was this book that? Yes. But yet I felt like I was reading something new and different at the same time.

For me what made this book was the characters. Wrexford is into chemistry and basically marches to the beat of his own drum. He’s smart and has a ‘devil may care’ attitude about the ton and society. He is familiar with the satirical drawings of A.J. Quill as many of the drawings are of him. What he doesn’t expect to learn is that A.J. Quill is in fact Charlotte Sloane.

Charlotte is kind of this mysterious woman. She lives in a working class section of London and is a widow. She takes care of two orphan children and basically educates them which means she herself is educated. She has upper class friends but doesn’t move in high society or even middle class circles.

When Wrexford meets her he is surprised to find first Quill is a female, and secondly that she is so educated. He knows she must have a backstory but we don’t find that out what that story might be. I love watching them play off each other. Neither one is all “I love you and want to throw caution to the wind to be together” but there is an unmistakable sexual tension slowly burning below the surface. Romance isn’t the obvious focus of the story but there is a hint of something that might develop in future novels.

I loved that Charlotte was kind of obscure. Wrexford was a very open character. He basically doesn’t care what people think of him and the audience feels like they know him from the beginning whereas Charlotte has more hidden facets. She isn’t as open about herself and when we read her perspective the audience gets the sense that we don’t have the full story which makes her intriguing. I also love that Wrexford doesn’t try to control her and keep her ‘safe’. In many detective novels there is the overwhelming sense of protection from the male lead and it often borders on irritating. I love that Wrexford respected her enough and understood that she wouldn’t be placated by staying at home while he did all the foot work.

The mystery itself had a lot of interesting elements and I loved the science aspect. There were enough twists and turns to keep me interested in the story but ultimately it was the relationship between Wrexford and Charlotte that kept me reading. Though mismatched, I think they make a great pair and I look forward to seeing how they evolve in future books. I was way more into this book than I expected to be, so much so, that I downloaded another book by Penrose because I loved her story telling style.

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: Murder on Black Swan Lane (A Wrexford and Sloane Mystery #1) by Andrea Penrose

Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Published June 27th 2017 by Kensington
ASIN B01NB98TQO
Review copy provided by: Publisher/Author in exchange for an honest review.

This book counts toward: NA

Hosted by: NA
Books for Challenge Completed: NA
Recommendation: 4.5 out of 5

Genre: historical fiction, Regency era, mystery, suspense, detective novel

Memorable lines/quotes: