This is a very well written series.Love the tension between Charlotte and Wrexford. It adds to the story.I enjoy the exploits of Charlottes wards.This mystery had some very interesting turns.An intriguing read.
Thankyou Netgalley for this ARC

The Wrexford & Sloane series just gets better and better! This was a truly solid, well plotted mystery that brought soooo much of Charlotte’s past to the forefront. I feel we get a clearer understanding of Hawk and Raven as more than just plucky side kicks. The greater inclusion of Sheffield and introduction of Lady Cordelia is sublime. And my heart thumps just thinking of Wrexford. Sigh.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Murder At Kensington Palace is the third book in the Wrexford and Sloane Mystery series.

Lord Chittenden(Cedric) and his twin brother, Nicholas, have a heated argument at a scientific meeting that is heard by many of the attendees. In the early hours of the next morning, the brutally murdered body of Cedric is found in Kensington Gardens. When a bloody knife is found in Nicholas’ rooms, he is charged with the murder of his brother. When Charlotte hears the news she is devastated, as Cedric and Nicholas are distant cousins and were playmates during her early years.

She immediately contacts Wrexford to ask for his help in getting Nicholas released from jail and hopefully. Things seem to be strained between Wrexford and Charlotte, but Wrexford knows that she will pursue the matter with or without his help. There searching takes them to various scientific meetings, some seedy card dens and the homes of titled people.

This book is well-written, researched and plotted. The characters are very interesting and believable. I particularly enjoy Charlotte’s wards, Hawk and Raven. They progressing well with their education and are learning to speak like young gentlemen, rather than like the street urchins they used to be. With the education they have gotten, Raven has developed an interest in the sciences and helps out in Wrexford’s laboratory, while Hawk has developed an interest in plants and drawing them. But they still love being on the streets and are extremely helpful to Charlotte and Wrexford in finding the murderer.

I will be watching for the next book in this engaging series.

I love this series. history, mystery and a little romance. Charlotte and her wards are involved with another murder. This one hits close to home. I was on the edge of my seat till the end. Great read

Murder at Kensington Palace is the third book in Andrea Penrose’s Wrexford & Sloane series of Regency-era historical mystery novels. I’ve read the other books in the series, so I was interested to see how the unlikely duo was going to handle their newest investigation.

This time, the victim is Cedric, a young man who recently inherited a barony. The prime suspect is Nicholas, the victim’s twin brother- the two were overheard arguing about the inheritance and the unfairness of Cedric receiving everything simply because he had the good fortune to be born a few minutes earlier.

The case seems fairly straightforward, but Charlotte knew the brothers when she was a little girl, and she knows that Nicky is innocent. Wrexford is skeptical, but he agrees to help Charlotte pursue the meager leads that they have.

This was a fun book. Charlotte and Wrexford continue to build upon their strange friendship, and it’s clear that they both harbor feelings for each other, but neither of them does anything to act on these feelings, so hooray for unresolved sexual tension!

Fans of the series will appreciate return appearances from secondary characters like Wrexford’s valet/right hand man Tyler, and the “weasels”, Charlotte’s two young wards. While the murder being investigated is quite grisly, the overall tone of the book is comparatively light.

I would recommend Murder at Kensington Palace to fans of historical mystery. The book functions well enough as a standalone, but readers will enjoy the book more if they have been following the characters’ journey from the beginning. These books make for quick reads, with satisfying conclusions. As a longtime fan of the books, I like that each book builds upon the last, especially in regards to Charlotte’s backstory. The conclusion of this book leads to some very interesting possibilities, and I am looking forward to seeing how these will manifest in the next book.


I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this two stars for two reasons. The first is that I thought the ultimate culprit was blindingly obvious after a certain point (view spoiler) The second was that it had a pretty strong whiff of Orientalism about it, (view spoiler) The way it's written it doesn't seem to me like Penrose is intentionally trying to feed or extend these tropes, but they're there nonetheless, and the way they're used in relation to the villan and nobody else seems pretty problematic to me.

I did enjoy that the relationship between Charlotte and Wrexford is slowly progressing, but overall I thought this was the weakest installment in the series yet. I'll probably still read the next one, but if it's on par with this, it will probably be my last.

Our story starts with a gruesome murder in Regency London. Lord Wrexford has a great interest in the scientific advances of the time. Charlotte Sloane has been hiding a past. Due to her connection to the body of the Bloody Butcher Murder she will have to choose to take a step back into a life she walked away from. Wrexford and Charlotte are equals in using all their skills to follow the path of this murderer in a fast paced page turner. You have great extra characters with thrown in two ruffians who you will love immediately. Watch the slow burn of the central characters love which will leave you wanting further adventures.
I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book to read in exchange for a fair review. Murder at Kensington Palace is the third book in Andrea Penrose’s Wexford & Sloane Historical Mystery series. This is the first book I have read in the series so it can be read as a stand-alone but the first thing I did on finishing this one was purchase the other two. When her beloved cousin is murdered in a manner that looks to be the work of a serial killer nicknamed The Bloody Butcher and his twin is charged with the murder Charlotte Sloan who is also satirical cartoonist A.J. Quill knows that she must prove her cousin innocent and that to do so she will need all of the help that she can gather including that of Alexander the Earl of Wrexford. When the clues lead to the higher echelons of society Charlotte comes to the difficult realisation that she will have to leave the secure little world she has created for herself and reclaim her place in society as Lady Charlotte daughter of the Earl of Walcott. With lots of twists and turns and a truly evil villain this story will keep you avidly turning the pages to find out what happens next. Publishing Date September 24, 2019.
#MurderAtKensingtonPalace #AndreaPenrose #WrexfordandSloaneHistoricalMysteries #NetGalley #Bookstagram #RegencyMurderMysteries #KensingtonBooks

It's the first book I read in this series and I'm more than happy I read it because it's a gripping and entertaining novel.
The cast of characters is well written and I loved both Wexter and Charlotte, two complex and fleshed out characters.
The mystery is full of secrets, twists and turns, and kept me guessing.
An excellent read, highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

In Murder at Kensington Palace, the third book in Andrea Penrose’s Wrexford and Sloane series, the author once again sets an intriguing, well-conceived mystery against the backdrop of the scientific discovery and innovation taking place during the Regency era while also continuing to explore the shifting relationship between Mrs. Charlotte Sloane (aka satirist A.J. Quill) and the darkly sardonic Earl of Wrexford. As the pair work together to clear the name of a young man accused of murdering his twin brother, Charlotte is forced to face the prospect of discarding her carefully guarded anonymity, while the Earl, a man who has always prided himself on his logical mind, finds himself in an unusual position of frustration and uncertainty.

Charlotte is working on her latest project when she hears that the murderer nicknamed the ‘Bloody Butcher’ has struck again, this time killing a young aristocrat whose body was found that morning in the gardens of Kensington Palace. When one of her young wards explains that the victim had been in attendance at a scientific gathering hosted by the Duke of Sussex the previous evening, Charlotte immediately wonders if Wrexford had been there and if he might know something about it. But she feels strangely awkward about asking the Earl for information; in fact, she hasn’t seen him for a couple of weeks, since their investigation into another murder (Murder at Half Moon Gate) almost cost Wrexford his life and led to their expressing certain … sentiments that perhaps neither of them were ready to bring out into the open.

“What a pair we are,” she muttered. “Prickly, guarded, afraid of making ourselves vulnerable.”

When Wrexford arrives some time later, it’s with news that will quickly distract Charlotte from any ponderings over the nature of her feelings for him. The murder victim was Cedric, Lord Chittenden, a young man from the North of England who had only recently come into his title; and his twin brother, Nicholas, has been arrested for the crime on account of their having been overheard having a disagreement at some point during the course of the previous evening. Charlotte is adamant in her belief that the wrong man has been accused and that Nicholas could never have harmed his brother – but she won’t explain further or tell Wrexford what makes her so sure.

Like Charlotte, Wrexford is reluctant to look too closely at the things they said to each other in the heat of the moment, but her apparent lack of trust in him causes him to wonder if Charlotte may be having regrets and is now trying to put distance between them. Not wanting her to retreat further, Wrexford decides not to push for information, instead deciding to wait until she’s ready to tell him what she needs to. She has already revealed something of her past to him – she’s the daughter of an earl who, chafing at the restrictions and expectations constantly placed upon her, ran away with her drawing master and whose family subsequently disowned her. Charlotte knows Wrexford can be trusted, but even so, is struggling to reconcile her need to remain independent and her need for help to prove Nicholas innocent. Realising she can’t afford to hold back any longer, she tells Wrexford the truth – that Cedric and Nicholas are her cousins and that the three of them were childhood playmates.

Feeling as though they’re back on more of an even keel, Charlotte and Wrexford start to ask questions, Charlotte seeking information from the network of informants from whom she collects the gossip making the rounds on the London streets, and Wrexford in the scientific circles in which Chittenden and his brother moved since coming to London. His own standing in the scientific community naturally opens doors, and his enquiries reveal a worrisome picture of Chittenden as a young man possessed of an almost fanatical desire to push scientific boundaries and prepared to go to extreme lengths in order to do so. He also discovers that Chittenden had a rival for the affections of a certain young lady, and that he was owed a large sum of money by a man who seemed to be having trouble paying his gambling debts… could his murder have been motivated by love? Or money? Or are there darker, more clandestine forces at work?

Andrea Penrose has found a rather unique hook for this series in the way she incorporates an aspect of the Regency era that readers of novels set during that time don’t often come across; namely the fervour for scientific knowledge and advancement that was prevalent at the time. Many of the characters featured in Murder at Kensington Palace are specifically interested in the experiments of Luigi Galvani and Giovanni Aldini, who had explored the possibility that electricity could be used to reanimate the dead – a concept made famous by Mary Shelley in Frankenstein (1817).

Through all of this is woven the continuing development of the relationship between Charlotte and Wrexford, both of whom are gradually acknowledging (to themselves) that they feel something more than friendship for each other, but are reluctant to take that first step towards becoming more. Their feelings for one another are made clear through their thoughts and actions, although I have to say that I’d have liked things to have become a little more concrete by this stage. Still, there are positive developments in this book that make me think that’s not far off now.

The novel boasts a colourful secondary cast, including Charlotte’s two wards, Hawk and Raven (aka the Weasels) her housekeeper, McLellan, who is as much bodyguard as she is servant, Wrexford’s friend Kit Sheffield and his valet/assistant, Tyler; and they’re joined by the formidable Dowager Marquess of Peake, Charlotte’s aunt, a wonderfully forthright and shrewd lady I hope we’ll meet again in future books.

While the mystery in Murder at Kensington Palace is wrapped up by the end and the book could be read as a standalone, I’d recommend that anyone interested in trying this series should start at the beginning with Murder on Black Swan Lane in order to get the full picture of the relationship between the two principals. Wrexford and Sloane make a great team, personally as well as investigatively, and I’m looking forward to the next instalment in the series.

4.5 stars / B+

My favorite mystery genre is just about anything historical. If it's British historical, even better. This series is in my top ten for them. Regency England is the period and the mysteries revolve around Charlotte Sloane, a young widow and the Earl of Wrexford. In this mystery Charlotte turns to Wrexford to help her clear her cousin Nicholas of murdering his twin brother Cedric, Lord Chittenden. With the help of the weasles - the two street urchins Charlotte has taken in, Aunt Alison and McClellan and various others in her circle, They investigate all levels of Regency London to find the killer.
There isn't a thing I don't enjoy about this series. It has everything from art to science to romance added to a very well crafted puzzle. There are enough twists, turns and red herrings to keep me saying 'just one more chapter' when I should have gone to bed. The relationship between Sloane and Wrexford is more than a bit slow to develop but all the more reason to look forward to more books.
If you are new to the series, no worries, it can be read as a stand alone but, if you enjoy this one as much as I did, you better have the previous two books at hand to binge read. It will be reading time well spent.

Andrea Penrose brings readers another Regency mystery with intriguing characters, fascinating scientific tidbits, a complex, well-crafted plot, and evolving relationships that keep me coming back for more. I'm enjoying the chemistry that's slowly growing between Wrexford and Charlotte as they work together to solve yet another mystery. I enjoy the individual strengths they each bring to the task and the respect, friendship, and caring that continues to deepen. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the mystery that kept me guessing well into the book and the interweaving of both science and art that Penrose uses to help bring the villains to justice.

Penrose has surrounded Wrexford and Charlotte with a secondary collection of vividly drawn characters who I find just as intriguing as the leads. Charlotte's street-smart, young wards have secured a place for themselves in my heart and I can't wait to see how they continue to evolve. I'm also hopeful that Penrose might deliver a secondary love interest for Wrexford's friend, Sheffield in future books. There's a young woman in this book who would be a wonderful ongoing addition to the cast. There's also Wrexford's scientific valet, Charlotte's indispensable housekeeper/maid, a brilliant surgeon, and a feisty great-aunt whose dialog played out in my head with Dame Maggie Smith's voice. I do hope Penrose has more books planned for this series. I'm already eagerly anticipating the next Wrexford & Sloane adventure!

This is the third book in the Wrexford & Sloane Mystery series. Penrose does a good job of bringing new readers up to date without the proverbial info dump, allowing this novel to stand on its own. However, in my opinion, readers will have a greater understanding of the characters and a deeper appreciation for their evolving relationships if the books are read in order. Those titles are: Murder on Black Swan Lane, Murder at Half Moon Gate, and Murder at Kensington Palace.

*ARC received from publisher via NetGalley

Note: Have also submitted to Amazon. Waiting for it to post.

The third book in this mystery series set in the Regency Period finds widow Charlotte Sloane settled into better surroundings with her two wards, Raven and Hawk. Charlotte's secret career as the political cartoonist A.J. Quill is still a closely held secret, as is her status as Lady Charlotte. Only a few people know that she is an Earl's daughter who was disowned by her family when she eloped with her drawing master. Her investigative partner in the two previous books, Lord Wrexford, knows her real identity, but Charlotte is leery of letting anyone else know. That may have to change; however, when her childhood playmate and cousin is murdered in a grisly way, and it appears that his twin brother may be the murderer. The investigation leads them into the highest circles of the "men of science" of the day. Wrexford, of course, has complete access to those groups. It appears that the two brothers had gotten involved with another scientific group, the Eos Society. The Eos Society is secretive and up to no good. Could they hold the answer to saving her cousin from the gallows?

Once again, Penrose presents a well-researched look at the Regency Period. As the author points out, the era was the beginning of the modern world in its enthusiasm for science and exploration. Women also were just beginning to chafe at the restrictions placed on them by a patriarchal society. We meet several new characters that I hope to see more of in future books. Raven and Hawk are developing from the street urchins they were into distinct personalities. I am also enjoying the relationship between Wrexford and Sloane who are extremely well-matched. The growing romance is a nice addition but the intricately plotted mystery takes precedence. I highly recommend this series to fans of historical mysteries.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

RATING-4.5 Stars

Wrexford and Sloane return amid the wonders of electrical discoveries in the Regency. Someone is experimenting with voltaic piles, and their experiments are now including murder. As the pair investigate, along with their band of mismatched allies, they edge closer and closer to a more intimate relationship. The "Weasels” are also back, just as enchanting as in Penrose’s previous books. This is a terrific series for fans of the Regency period.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Charlotte Sloane's life is put into disarrange when she discovers that her cousin Lord Cedric Chittenden has been killed, and his twin brother accused of the murder. Secrets must be revealed as she investigates with not just the help of Wrexford but also the group of friends that have arrived in her life over the last few years.
Although this is the third in the series it can easily be read as a standalone story.
A very enjoyable and interesting mystery, this is a well-written series, and the cast of characters are varied and a delight to read about.

Tense times with this engaging duo!

It didn't take long for me to be up to my eyebrows in this the third Wrexford and Sloane mystery.
A particularly gruesome murder has Charlotte reaching back into her past and going to a place she'd resolutely put behind her. Wrexford as always is an immense support in such a very Wrexford way that I've come to love.
Just to recap, usually the Earl of Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane and their small circle of unlikely and very likeable characters are drawn into the depths of the rookeries and dark places of London when pursuing a crime. This time however the pursuit will lead into the tonnish limelight.
Wrexford comes across to those outside his circle as the epitome a man of Science and logic. Charlotte entertains a double life as the leading satirical caricaturist A.J. Quill. She harbours her own deeply held secrets, always struggling for anonymity and keeping to the shadows. Then there's the weasels, Raven and Hawk, the unlikely guttersnipes that have captured my heart just like they've won Charlotte's, and dare I say Wrexford's if he'd own to having one. Let me not forget Wrexford's valet Turvel,and Charlotte's maid, McClellan. Both treasures in their own way. And there's more!
The murder of a peer, Lord Chittenden, under disturbing circumstances in Kensington Palace Gardens after a Royal Society soirée ("which, along with the Royal Institution, was the leading bastion of London’s scientific minds.") occurs" Naturally Wrexford is a member!
An arrest is quickly forthcoming. The culprit is Lord Chittenden's twin brother, Nicholas. He's carted of to Newgate. Charlotte has strong doubts about this, given her childhood acquaintance with the brothers. There have been a string of recent alike murders. Is Nicholas really the 'Bloody Butcher?'
Of course Wrexford becomes involved as does Kit Sheffield and the weasels.
I love the way the boys are developing their distinctive talents. Raven is mathematically inclined and Hawk is engaged by the study of natural history and drawing.
Charlotte's in her role as Pheonix, an elusive underbelly inhabitant comes into play, but in this situation a new persona will be called for. One that gives Charlotte second and even third thoughts. One she doesn't want to adopt.
But as her maid McClellan counsels,
“You’ve undergone transformations before."
"Perhaps you should stop thinking of this transformation as the death of your old self...the essence of who you are isn’t changing a whit. You’re merely taking on new plumage...After all, one of your street monikers is Phoenix, a bird who rises from the ashes with bold, beautiful new feathers with which to fly into the future."
This new transformation will bring Charlotte out of the safety of the shadows and into contact with people she had firmly relegated to her past.
Then there's the unspoken side of the relationship between Charlotte and Wrexford. At times the air between them fairly burns the page up. It's so full of meaning, of promise, and unresolved tension. Then those poignant, illusive moments slide away and we're left wondering! Talk about leaving me breathless!
Resolution is quite dramatically reached with several red herrings and some interesting twists.
As always Penrose's research on emergent technology during the Regency days is solid and fascinating.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Right off the bat I’ll say this is not a place to start if you’re new to this series. Because there’s a lot of history here, and it’s best if you know it before you begin. For in Andrea Penrose’s “Murder at Kensington Palace” the murder and the mystery is just an excuse for Charlotte Sloan and her cohort in crime Lord Wrexford to fight off their attraction to each other through the pages of this book, which they have done for some time now. And since Charlotte has decided to reenter society -- you’ll see how that’s done, after much (unnecessary, seems to me) soul-searching, it’s going to be easier for her to be with Wrexford. (Which will open up plot opportunities for future books, a good thing.) So, get on with it already, we readers know it’s coming.

On to the story: a titled gentleman’s been done in in a particularly gruesome fashion in Kensington Palace grounds. Charlotte AKA A.J. Quill, the notorious satirical artist, sets out to find the killer, as the dead man is found to be a relative, a cousin – and his brother has been set up for the murder, so even more reason to find the real culprit. That forms the reason for her investigation. She has to act, so of course Wrexford has to help.
Again we have our Latin proverbs carrying us along. And their translations, which seem unnecessary; readers could figure them out, thank you very much. I find them an unnecessary conceit.

Andrea Penrose does have a knack for bringing her people to life. The “secondary” characters in this book, the boys, Raven and Hawk, Mrs. McClellan the cook, Tyler, Wrexford’s valet and fellow scientist, Sheffield, friend and confidant are especially finely rendered in the author’s capable hands.

Secret societies, cheating at cards, blackmail, something called votilism, bodies keep turning up, rich young women with minds of their own that don’t fit the conventional mold, talk about mathematics and much else to make your head spin. Does get a big confusing! Lots of historical research in this one, perhaps a tad too much, unless you’re really into the history of electricity and what a voltaic pile is (or was). And what early inventors did with it. Strong stomachs might be involved. I’ll leave it at that.

The investigation wraps up very nicely; did you have any doubts? But not before there’s some skullduggery and changing into men’s clothing and meeting some interesting new people -- Sheffield’s met his match! and a female in peril scene that once again I could do without. But that sets the stage for another reason to bring our two lovebirds together. Of course the main theme that prevails through this book is its romantic energy -- yeah, there’s a murder mystery, big deal. Do you really think that’s the author’s main intent? No, no, no. Okay, we have a body or two to stumble over in these books. But let’s cut to the chase here, folks. There’s only one theme going on -- when will Sloan and Wrexford finally throw aside their misgivings and declare for each other? Omnia vincit amor, indeed. And I’m not even going to translate it for you.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

I stumbled on this series a couple of years ago and instantly fell in love. I loved how sassy and sardonic Wrexford is and even if Mrs Sloane is overly pig headed at times, she’s independent and sassy and I can’t get enough of them together!

Reading these books is always such a delight. There is clearly this romantic tension between Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane, but it doesn’t overtake the prime focus of the books which is the murder mystery.

Because of that I think it makes the romance so much more sweet. The little morsels of romance sprinkled in make the reader eager to see what happens between them, but ultimately it’s the well written mystery that holds their attention late into the night.

So when I finally saw this one on Netgalley I begged to read it! I couldn’t wait and read it in a couple of fast sittings!

Summary

Though Charlotte Sloane’s secret identity as the controversial satirical cartoonist A.J. Quill is safe with the Earl of Wrexford, she’s ill prepared for the rippling effects sharing the truth about her background has cast over their relationship. She thought a bit of space might improve the situation. But when her cousin is murdered and his twin brother is accused of the gruesome crime, Charlotte immediately turns to Wrexford for help in proving the young man’s innocence. Though she finds the brooding scientist just as enigmatic and intense as ever, their partnership is now marked by an unfamiliar tension that seems to complicate every encounter.

Despite this newfound complexity, Wrexford and Charlotte are determined to track down the real killer. Their investigation leads them on a dangerous chase through Mayfair’s glittering ballrooms and opulent drawing rooms, where gossip and rumors swirl to confuse the facts. Was her cousin murdered over a romantic rivalry . . . or staggering gambling debts? Or could the motive be far darker and involve the clandestine scientific society that claimed both brothers as members? The more Charlotte and Wrexford try to unknot the truth, the more tangled it becomes. But they must solve the case soon, before the killer’s madness seizes another victim. (summary from Goodreads)

Review

This book definitely held my attention late late late into the night on more than one occasion. I read it in a couple of sittings but both of those sittings ran late into the evening. There was definitely a Jack the Ripper element to the story and I thought that made it so much more intriguing and shocking.

There were a number of people with motive and like the characters I was wracking my brain trying to figure out how everything worked together and what pieces of evidence were relevant. I thought I had an idea who the killer was but then there would be a piece of evidence discovered that made me question if that person was really the culprit or not. Great use of red herrings! I especially loved how well the author incorporates science into the story too. It really adds to the mystery in my opinion!

It’s been really fun to see how the characters in the book have grown since the first story. Both of the main characters, Wrexford and Charlotte have changed so much and their walls have come down to reveal genuinely beautiful and caring individuals. I love how their relationship has evolved into this wonderful friendship with the promise of something deeper to come and I love that the author is in no way eager to rush it into reality. At times it maddening because I desperately want them to declare their feelings but at the same time I savor the little bits that we get and am excited to see what the next book brings.

These are characters that I have grown to care about and can’t wait to see what’s in store for their future! If you love historical mysteries, this is a team you don’t want to miss. The mystery is well done with wonderfully colorful characters and it easily kept me interested and reading late into the night! It can be read as a stand lone but why would you want to miss out on all the fun back story? The answer is, you don’t! Each book is fantastic and a quick read so go pick them up!

Book Info and Rating

ebook, 304 pages
Expected publication: September 24th 2019 by Kensington
ISBN 1496722833 (ISBN13: 9781496722836)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Kensington Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 5 stars
Genre: historical fiction/mystery

"Wrexford and Sloane must unravel secrets within secrets - including a few that entangle their own hearts - when they reunite to solve a string of shocking murders that have horrified Regency London...

Though Charlotte Sloane’s secret identity as the controversial satirical cartoonist A.J. Quill is safe with the Earl of Wrexford, she’s ill prepared for the rippling effects sharing the truth about her background has cast over their relationship. She thought a bit of space might improve the situation. But when her cousin is murdered and his twin brother is accused of the gruesome crime, Charlotte immediately turns to Wrexford for help in proving the young man’s innocence. Though she finds the brooding scientist just as enigmatic and intense as ever, their partnership is now marked by an unfamiliar tension that seems to complicate every encounter.

Despite this newfound complexity, Wrexford and Charlotte are determined to track down the real killer. Their investigation leads them on a dangerous chase through Mayfair’s glittering ballrooms and opulent drawing rooms, where gossip and rumors swirl to confuse the facts. Was her cousin murdered over a romantic rivalry...or staggering gambling debts? Or could the motive be far darker and involve the clandestine scientific society that claimed both brothers as members? The more Charlotte and Wrexford try to unknot the truth, the more tangled it becomes. But they must solve the case soon, before the killer’s madness seizes another victim..."

Horrifying murders? Regency England? Hears aflutter? Yes, yes, and YES!

Wow, this book in the series is great! The storylines have been advanced by leaps and bounds and I don't want to give anything away but this book is not to be missed.