Millstone of Doubt is the second book in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mysteries series. I personally had not read the previous book... and certainly felt like doing so would have given me a better understanding of these characters and the backstory. As such, I definitely feel like reading this series in order will give readers the most enjoyment out of the story.

Despite that though, it was an enjoyable story even on its own. The mystery and intrigue will draw readers in. While regency era stories are hit and miss for me sometimes, I feel that those that offer some type of suspense tend to be those that I enjoy the most, so this definitely fit that bill. It was well written and intriguing, and I certainly think this is one I would have enjoyed tremendously had I read the previous book first.

If you enjoy regency romance with a good blend of mystery, this series will definitely be one to check out... starting with book one.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed this second book in the Thorndike and Swann series by Erica Vetsch. I loved how there was mystery and romance. I loved how there were unexpected truths that were brought to life. I also liked how Juliette and Daniel had to figure out what was important to them and what they are willing to do to be together. I liked what a great team they are and how they solved the mystery. I can’t wait to read the next one and see what happens next.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

I did enjoy this story very much and it had engaging characters. In particular, I liked Daniel Swan. He had such an interesting back story, which was gradually revealed. Lady Juliette, was a debutante but also training to work for the Home Office. I liked how honest she was and didn’t lead people on. There is a murderer to find, some dangerous situations and a beginning of a romance. I will look for the next in the series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved it! I am emotionally invested in these characters! Such a great read and I can not wait until the 3rd in the series hits the stands. Erica Vetsch’s writing is wonderful and I loved every second. I even slowed my reading towards the end to make sure I absorbed every second.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance read.

I just reviewed Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vetsch. #MillstoneofDoubt #NetGalley

Regency spy plots are so tempting! I love a good mystery and Regency is my fave! Millstone of Doubt offers a Regency era setting paired with a mystery that puts Daniel and Juliette together once again to find answers and solve a possible murder. Explosions, murder, romance and a mysterious past! This book definitely served up some plot twists as well as providing answers to some lingering questions from the previous book. I felt like Juliette had great character growth from the first book to this one. She was still learning, but seemed much more capable and I really was hoping for that! Juliette and Daniel have sparks of romance that definitely develop as the story progresses and the ending was everything! I loved Juliette’s humor and direct nature even in the midst of a confession of feelings! The mystery and romance in this story wrapped up nicely and I may have guessed the “who dunnit” earlier in the book, but I won’t give spoilers! This book was light and entertaining with a hint of romance and was a great addition to this series.

Another great Regency mystery! The mystery kept me guessing and the romance is sweet and perfect. I love this series and am looking forward to the next book.

Millstone of Doubt: Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries (Book 2)
By Erica Vetsch

Series: Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries
Pub Date: September 20, 2022
Publisher: ‎Kregel Publications
Genre: Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Inspirational Fiction

Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vetsch is the second installment in the Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries. Another curious mystery is afoot, one that Mr Daniel Swann and Lady Juliette Throndike find themselves thrown together again.

London 1816, Debutante, Lady Juliette Throndike first season out in London’s society and she has promised herself not to fall for any man. Juliette’s {Jules} parents along with her uncle Bertie work behind the scenes of society as agents to the crown. Since Juliette’s abduction last month her uncle has provided her with some necessary self defense instructions to better prepare herself as fledgling agent, and develop her skills in spy craft.

Mr Daniel Swann, a detective from the Bow Street Magistrate’s Court, twenty-fifth birthday is fast approaching. This would bring to end the support from his mysterious patron would end. He would no longer be obligated to cary out the multitude of tasks in exchange for financial support.

When a explosion of a flour mill and what looks like the murder of Juliette’s good friend Agatha’s father, Mr Garfield Montgomery. Garfield Montgomery who owns the flour Mill that was threatened and may be have targeted by the Rabble rousers who don’t use critical thinking, instead they use vengeance and violence as away of stating their viewpoints on industrial progress. Causing more harm and job loss to the workers and their families.

This book follows first book in the series The Debutante’s Code. Told in dual perspectives, this warmhearted regency romance, provides underlying meaningful messages to its readers. I enjoyed the light hearted romance and the way mystery unfolds. The characters are likable, and you will find yourself drawn into their lives.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a non spoiler review, because you as reader need to read this book. Also, I feel sometimes I have in the past gave away to much of the plot line. This has diminished the pleasure for would be readers.

1816 While at breakfast at the home of the Earl of Thorndike, Bow Street runner Daniel Swann is asked to find out why mill owner Garfield Montgomery failed to appear. Approaching the mill he is caught in an explosion, and later he finds Mongomery dead, shot. He then investigates while coping with his activities as an agent of the Crown, and various personal problems.
An entertaining and well-written Regency mystery with a hint of romance, with its varied and likeable main characters. A good addition to the series which can be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am really enjoying this series set during the Regency period in London. The characters are great and so fun to read about, including some from other books by the author. Millstone of Doubt picks right up where The Debutante's Code ends. Lady Juliette Thorndike is still in the middle of her Debut Season along with her friend Agatha Montgomery. Her parents come in and out of town with their service to the Crown. But when Agatha's father is murdered in his gristmill, her Season is cut off due to her mourning period. Bow Street Detective Daniel Swann is tasked with investigating Mr. Montgomery's murder. But now, Daniel is working with Juliette and her family as spies for the Crown. They do more undercover work as Luddites are causing unrest fighting against machinery being brought into the factories. This is good for the owners but cuts the number of workers needed. Is that who killed Garfield Montgomery? Daniel has been under the care of a patron who has taken care of his schooling, clothing and living expenses but his twenty fifth birthday is coming up and that will end. However, surprises abound. This is another suspenseful and interesting mystery in a genre that I enjoy reading. I sure hope that there will be a Book 3. Cannot wait. Recommended for those who love Regencies rich in history with a touch of suspense, mystery, romance, and faith.
I received a complimentary copy from Kregel Publications and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are mine.

Lady Juliette Thorndike and Bow Street runner Daniel Swann are back solving mysteries together in Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vetsch. They both arrive just in time for a mysterious explosion at Hammersmith Mill which kills Juliette’s good friend Agatha’s father, Mr. Montgomery. Or so they think at first, but they soon discover he has been murdered. On the case, they discover there is more than one person who has a reason to want Mr. Montgomery dead. Who killed him and why? And will they find out before the murderer strikes again?
I read and loved The Debutante’s Code, which is the first book in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series. Millstone of Doubt is the second book in the series. You can definitely read it on its own, but the first book helps a lot with the character development.

I LOVED this regency mystery. The characters are great, and Juliette and Daniel had great chemistry. It’s a clean romance, but the sparks were definitely flying off the page. The mystery was riveting and kept me reading far too long into the night. As an engineer and the wife of a structural engineer, I was especially excited that a structural engineer was brought to the mill to assess it for damage after the explosion. I loved the scientist who came in and figured out how the explosion happened. I geeked out over these details. The mystery is good and has a satisfying conclusion.

I can’t wait to see what happens next for Lady Juliette and Daniel!

Review Copy from Kregel Publications as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lady Juliette and Daniel Swann are adorable in this Regency mystery. This is book two, and even though I somehow missed book one, I was easily able to follow the characters and their relationships. The murder mystery was complicated and the action kept me engaged. There’s actually more than one mystery to solve, including the story behind Daniel’s father and his unknown patron. I loved the idea of the whole Thorndike family working as agents for the crown, it’s such a unique premise. I’ll have to circle back to book one to see how it all started. Definitely recommend this to fans of historical romance and mysteries.
Thank you to Austenprose PR and the author/publisher for the review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After reading The Debutant’s Code, I couldn’t wait for Millstone of Doubt. I was not disappointed! If anything, I liked this book even more. With humor, romance, and suspense, this Regency mystery grabbed my attention from the first and was hard to put down. I loved the historical aspects of the story and the endearing side characters as well. Uncle Bertie is my favorite.

Set in Regency England, Daniel Swann who’s a Bow Street Runner, but also training to be a secret agent for the crown, embarks on another mystery this time involving murder and a flour mill. When he accompanies Lady Juliette and her friend Agatha Montgomery to Hammersmith Mill after Agatha’s father fails to arrive to at small party, they are caught up in a terrible explosion. Agatha’s father is dead, but the cause is not the explosion.

As he tries to solve the mystery of the murder and explosion, Daniel must also grapple with the fact that his patronage will soon end on his 25th birthday. His job and all that he’s know for the past 13 years could come to an end. Then there’s the beautiful Lady Juliette. Though they come from completely different stations in life, he can’t help but be attracted to her. He’s drawn to her not only for her beauty, but her intelligence, and ingenuity when it comes to spying and solving mysteries.

In a race against time, Daniel must solve the case before more people are killed and his patronage runs out. It’s a fast-paced, suspenseful, romantic mystery with a slew of suspects and motivations that kept me turning the pages. There’s also an inspirational message subtly woven into the story that Christian fiction fans will enjoy.

I loved the romance between Daniel and Juliette. That first kiss was amazing and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book! I also loved the way these two work together. There’s some comical exchanges as the two try to clandestinely pass messages to each other. I also loved the palpable attraction they both try to fight.

The mystery immediately drew me in. I loved the historical details and the scientific clues used to determine the cause of the explosion. The pacing was fantastic without a lull in the action and suspense. The motivations were varied and complex, and the suspects ranged from a potential fiancé to Luddite anarchists.

This is a must read for Regency mystery and romance fans! The ending left me eagerly waiting for the next book.. This is the second book in the Thorndike & Swann Regency mystery series and while it could be read as a standalone, it’s much more enjoyable if you’ve read the first book in the series. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

What an exciting continuation of the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mysteries series! The suspense from the first book has ramped up with a perplexing—and dangerous!—new mystery to solve, and the story is fast-paced, with several possible suspects and more crimes committed as the Bow Street detective and his spy colleagues attempt to identify and thwart the elusive perpetrator.

Although the heroine is a novice in the espionage trade, I appreciated how she is never treated like an incapable damsel and instead is being properly trained. She's even learning how to effectively defend herself, and people who do underestimate her are quickly shown their error. However, while I like the heroine, the hero's shadows and depth of feeling are the most captivating aspects of the tale.

I almost exclusively read historical romances for both work and pleasure, so when I read stories that are not strictly romances, I tend to feel the loss of those overtly romantic elements. In this case, though, there is plenty of romantic subtext woven throughout the mystery to satisfy me.

There are some unexpected revelations that readers of the first book will find gratifying, even as the potential outcomes leave the reader feeling the hero's understandable uncertainty. Millstone of Doubt is an apt title for both the hero's and heroine's experiences. The story was riveting to the very end, and now I'm eagerly anticipating what comes next for Thorndike and Swann!

Both fledgling agents for the crown, Lady Juliette Thorndike and Bow Street runner Daniel Swann individually need to figure out their roles and places in the spy network as well as their "normal" lives. When Juliette's best friend's father is killed, Juliette is told to stay out of the investigation, but Daniel plunges headlong into it. Meanwhile, Juliette is still in the middle of her debut season, and Daniel's lifelong patronage by a mysterious benefactor will soon be coming to an end, leaving him in an unknown position. How will they navigate these difficult situations and deal with their growing feelings for each other?

I may have rated this book a star less than the previous book in the series, but I still really enjoyed it. The overall world that Vetsch has set up in this series and the one it's connected to, Serendipity & Secrets, is one I really hope I don't have to leave any time soon. Juliette learning to become a spy, using her training in real-world settings while trying to get over her weaknesses, but still having to act the role of a debutante, is a fun mixture. Daniel's combining of his police work with spycraft isn't as much of a stretch, but it still allows for some panic moments as he tries to keep his secret. There was also a great moment when Daniel's friend and co-worker Ed gives him a little speech about the goodness of God, even when we don't see it in our lives, that I really liked.

The mystery was overall good. I liked the different paths they went down trying to solve it; mystery is a favorite genre of mine, and this one was enjoyable. I did guess who the killer was pretty early on, but wasn't 100% sure I was right until a while later (but before it was revealed). There was another mysterious aspect unrelated to the murder that I also figured out early on, but I still liked the way it played out. The story slowed down enough in the middle that I detracted a star, but overall, I really liked this book. I highly recommend it for fans of this genre and time period, whether you like romance or not, though that aspect is more in focus in this book than the previous.

When a mill blows up just as Daniel is about to enter, and he subsequently finds that the mill owner was murdered, he knows he has to find out who's responsible. But his superior at Bow Street is pushing for answers quickly, and they're just not easy to find. Meanwhile, he's waiting impatiently for his patronage to come to an end so that he can be his own master - and his attraction to Lady Juliette continues to grow, despite her being so far out of his reach. As the case throws them together and information about his heritage surfaces, will Daniel manage to keep his head - and find the murderer before anyone else dies?

There was a lot going on in this book - which was good, once I got into it. I must have missed the previous book in the series, because various background was mentioned throughout that I knew nothing of. However, while it would probably be best read as a series, I did still enjoy it - though it did take me a little while to really get into the story. With a background romance, mystery on a couple of fronts, family drama to uncover and mild inspirational/Christian content, this is definitely more than just a mystery, which I appreciated. I enjoyed getting to know Daniel and Juliette (and their various family and friends), and hope to read the next book in the series to see more of them.

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.

I loved the opening scene with spy in training, Lady Juliette Thorndike as she faces quite a dilemma with her wayward pistol. “And now here she was, less than a half hour into that party, and the strap holding the pistol against her thigh had shifted and loosened, the gun parting company with her leg.”

With the explosion of a mill that was owned by the family of Juliette’s best friend, Juliette is drawn into a world of political unrest with anarchists and angry factory workers. She and Bow Street Runner, Daniel Swann, are looking for possible plots against the government and also trying to discover who killed the mill owner. There are several subplots that keep you guessing as to the motive for the murder. Being able to put the clues together and solve the crime before the villain is caught was so much fun.

The turn of events that Daniel Swann finds himself a part of in his own life were a pleasant surprise! This gives him more possibilities for his personal relationship with Juliette. I am looking forward to seeing what developments will occur between the two of them. :) I recommend reading this series if you like mysteries with a hint of romance.

Thank you to Kregel Publications and also NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Teacups, bonnets and spies, oh my! A Regency era story with an intriguing mystery, solid characters and romance to boot. This second book in the series is easy to pick up and read on its own. The author includes some real history in the plot and makes it come alive as the characters get involved in dangerous situations. Deeper themes are inserted in places, with a few pauses for personal reflection by the main characters, as they struggle with finding their purpose in life. Daniel's spiritual doubts are poignant especially as he works through his difficult upbringing. It was encouraging to read his friend's exhortation to look back on his life to see God's hand at work, guiding and caring for him.
Recommend to readers who enjoy Regency era fiction with a twist of faith and clean romance. 4.5 stars

#BookRevew: MILLSTONE OF DOUBT by Erica Vetsch

I have been anticipating this second book from the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery series and it didn’t disappoint. It continues the love story between detective Swanna and Juliette Thorndike. It has all the qualities of a sweet regency romance yet full of suspense, mystery, action and family drama. Juliette’s training was interesting and scary at the same time. The Bank of England was very intriguing to me. I liked the message of God being a good Father embedded in the story. Though the culprit became too obvious to me at some point, the turn of events made this book still engaging to read. The ending was satisfying but I felt like I needed book 3 asap.

Thank you Kregel for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rating: 4.5 stars
Series: Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries Book 2
Pub date: 20 Sep 2022

Thank you Kregel Publications and #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

"We cannot judge Scripture or what we know about God by our own experiences and emotions, because those are changeable and untrustworthy most of the time."

Wow, this second book in the series was packed to the brim with suspense, mystery, secrets and romance! I highly recommend it to any Regency mystery fans out there. The series should be read in order though since this second book is built on the foundation laid in the previous book.

Juliette and Daniel are finally in training to be agents of the Crown and their interactions are as delicious as ever. Juliette's nurturing side comes out in full force here as she helps her best friend shoulder through tragedy and loss. Daniel's shortcomings are displayed prominently as he struggles with arrogance, prejudice, and self-absorption. I totally loved his Bow Street partner Ed, who is such a gem and a straight-forward mentor for Daniel. The murder mystery component was great and the spark of romance was sweet. The theme of God being a good Father was a noteworthy one throughout the story. And we finally get some answers to questions....but you'll have to read to book to find out what these gasp-worthy secrets are.

I received the book from the publisher via JustRead Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vetsch is the second book in the Thorndike and Swann Regency mystery series. You dont have to read the first book in the series to enjoy this one; however I do recommend it. You will see the relationship between Juliette and Daniel develop.

In book one Juliette has joined her parents and uncle as spies. She is still in training so her uncle has told her to not investigate the death of her best friend’s father. She cannot help herself and end of helping Daniel.

Daniel is a Bow Street Runner. His past is some of the most interesting parts of this story. His birth mother is a housekeeper at Lady Juliette’s house. He has a mysterious patronage that is about to end. It is interesting to see how his thoughts on it are tangled.

The underlying mystery is a murder and explosion at a mill owned by Juliette’s best friend’s father. The author gives us plenty of suspects that have a motive or means. However I felt it was a little too obvious as to who the murderer was but still a great story.
Sexual content - kissing
Violence - two murders, and a couple more attempts