Sir James and Lady Cecilia are meant to be on their honeymoon, but when they hear that a neighbour has apparently died in a carriage accident, they go to visit, and try to comfort, the man's wife. And when not only do some details appear suspicious, but a military-looking man is coming sneaking around with questions and is unwilling to answer any himself, they dive straight into an attempt to uncover the mystery. But the mystery turns out to be far bigger and with far greater ramifications than they could ever have imagined. Will they manage to get to the bottom - and safely? And is their neighbour alive or dead?

An enjoyable mystery with a touch of adventure, and a nice look into a bit more of James and Cecilia's lives after marriage! It is not necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this second story, but readers who watched James and Cecilia's romance develop will no doubt appreciate the chance to see more of them. I enjoyed the unfolding of the mystery, with some parts being a little predictable but others less so. It held my interest throughout, and I appreciated that there was little violence (and that not graphic). A clean, fairly well-written mystery with interesting characters and a satisfying conclusion.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

Sir James Branstoke and his new wife use their honeymoon to travel to a new addition to their properties. While there, Cecelia befriends her new neighbor. When that young woman's husband is reported dead, matters do not seem quite so straightforward. Sir James and Lady Branstoke set out to investigate the situation, finding a complicated web of spies, betrayal, and treason.

It was fun to come back to these characters after so many years. When I first saw this one, went back to the first book of the new "series" to reacquaint myself with them. Even if I hadn't done that, I think it would have been easy to just jump back in.

There was a different feel to these characters from the first book, which makes sense since it has been so long between books. Sir James is still his logical, straightforward self. Cecelia has put aside her persona of ill lady, except when it furthers their investigation. Though they have only been married a few weeks, they work together as though they had been married for years.

Overall, it was a fantastic follow up to the first book. It is well-written and paced well. The mystery was enjoyable and kept me guessing. I look forward to seeing what else the author has in store for the Branstokes.

A romantic suspense set during the Napoleonic Wars filled with international intrigue, spies and danger. Newly-weds Sir James and Lady Cecilia Branstoke help investigate the suspicious death of a neighbor’s husband and soon find themselves knee deep in trouble. Will their honeymoon end their happily-ever-after just as it has started?

This is the second book starring this couple (and the first I read). While it is not necessary to read the first one to understand this story, it is obvious that the reader misses out on a lot of the emotional nuances because the first one had them meet and fall in love. Still, it is a good action filled story that shows that not all romance ends with marriage. It is a clean read but isn’t short on emotional closeness.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A missing lord, a punctilious official, and Napoleon’s return!

Newly weds Sir James Branstoke and his bride, Lady Cecilia have changed their honeymoon plans and travelled into Kent to Summerworth Park, an estate Sir James had recently purchased from his cousin.
Ensconced with their plans for refurbishment, they definitely didn’t expect to become involved in a missing, presumed dead, neighbor and acquaintance, Baron Aldrich. Nor did they foresee they’d be assisting the dead lord’s wife, Lady Elinor, with investigating the matter. Furthermore they had no notion they’d be falling down the proverbial rabbit-hole of dangerous coincidences and mis-directions.
Intrigue indeed! Havey-cavey happenings at the inn where they’re staying, near where Aldrich’s coach has fallen off a cliff! Cecelia and Elinor are nearly robbed by an intruder in the dead of night, possibly after a letter Elinor received from Aldrich. Then they’re accosted by a rigid, sanctimonious military person, one Captain Andrew Melville. There’s rumors of stolen gold and weapons, and at the center might be the secretive fanatical spymaster, Lord Candelstone. If it’s him, he’s as usual spinning threads on his intelligence web, leaving his agents dangerously isolated, without known support. Indeed using them carelessly, more as cannon fodder, as pawns on a chessboard, rather than valued operatives to be protected and supported where possible.
I gather James and Cecelia had a perilous run in with Candlestone’s operations in an earlier novel, a situation that nearly cost Cecilia her life. (I’m definitely going to read that as the hints about how they met sound intriguing.)
I enjoyed Cecilia and James’ relationship, their understandings about each other. I particularly appreciated Cecilia’s attitudes to those who would snub Lady Elinor because she comes from a mercantile family. How Cecelia dealt with such persons was satisfying.
The story appeared to start slowly, but once I fell into the writer’s rhythm, and the breadth of the intrigue, I found myself firmly entrenched in this Regency mystery set around 1815.

An Xpresso Book Tours ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

A good historical mystery, gripping and entertaining. The characters are well developed, the solid mystery kept me guessing and the historical background is vivid.
The author is a good storyteller and the story kept me hooked.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

What a fun read! When a new friend's husband goes missing, Lord and Lady Branstoke interrupt their honeymoon to follow the trail and stumble into a complicated scheme of thievery, deception and what might be murder. But the details don't add up, leading the two sleuths to suspect far more is at stake than merely a neighbor gone missing. Enjoyably tense, very deeply reearched, and filled with interesting characters. I can't wait for the next instalment!

4 stars

Interesting mystery. I've jumped into this series at the second book and I think it would have been nice to see the romance between Cecilia and James.

I might go back and read book 1
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sir James and Lady Cecilia Branstoke, on their honeymoon at Summerworth Park have received a notification of the death of their neighbour, Lord Aldrich. Soon they arrive at Bartlett Hall to determine what has happened. They have no idea what they will become involved in as they look for the truth. But who are the real guilty party
An enjoyable historical mystery.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read the first book in this series but I still had no trouble following the story. Historical fiction with a mystery makes for an enjoyable read with interesting characters and a solid plot line. I will definitely read more from this author. I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.