Another enjoyable installment of a really fun series. One thing I really enjoy about this series is how much you can learn about the time period, specifically scientific discoveries/progress during the time, and this book is no different. This one focuses on the race of development of the ability for transatlantic steam ship travel/shipping and that aspect is quite interesting.

The main characters, Charlotte and Wrexford, have settled into married life and this installment did show some glimpses of that and of the depth of their relationship but I definitely wish there was more. That would be my one knock on this book- that aspect, the relationship between them, has been a bit lacking the last couple of books since they got married.

The usual cast of secondary characters are there and in fine form, the Weasels especially are enjoyable as always!


I received an ARC from NetGalley and KensingtonBooks in exchange for an honest review.

This was a solid 4.5 stars for me that I'm rounding up to 5. I love this series with its themes of found family and strong female voices. My one gripe is that sometimes the physics described as part of the mystery felt a little overwhelming and I ended up skimming to get to the exposition.

I've been a fan of this series since the beginning, and I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment-it may be my favorite after the first which introduced the characters that inhabit this world. I recommend this series to historical mystery fans-especially those who enjoy learning more about the scientific progress of the era.

Charlotte and Wrex have settled down into married life and Charlotte is continuing to publish satirical prints under her alias. She's undercover at a fire at a research laboratory for an engineer who is working on a project to develop a steam engine for enabling ships to cross the oceans.

Wrex gets a message asking him to meet with Neville Greeley, the best friend of his late brother. His brother was killed in a French ambush and while Neville was the only survivor, he has a severe case of PTSD and is haunted by that time. Wrex still struggles with his brother's death and that permeates this novel.

The Earl had arranged for Neville to have a position at the Merton College Library at Oxford. When Wrex arrives at the meeting the next day, he discovers that Greeley has been murdered and an ancient manuscript is missing.

The race to be the first to produce the ability to enable transatlantic shipping and the death of Neville Greeley and the French ambush intertwine into an amazing mystery.

I received an ARC from the publisher but the opinion expressed is entirely my own.

This seventh entry in the Wrexford and Sloan series strikes a great balance between continuing the characters’ story arcs, describing Victorian England, and resolving mysteries. In this book, we have to solve the murder of a longtime friend, understand the geopolitical and economic impact of ships crossing oceans using steam power, and deal with how Countess of Wrexford’s alter ego should expose societal inequities. It sounds busy and complex, and it is — but the author wraps up all the plot lines in this charming mystery with believable characters set in an interesting world.

NetGalley and KensingtonBooks provided an advance reader copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved this book. The story captured me right away and didn’t let me go until the end. I loved the characters, the good and the bad. The camaraderie and banter between the protagonists were excellent. But to me, a great part was the Author’s Note which put the science into historical context and is a must read. This book is a great historical fiction/mystery story with history of science added in. Many books try to cover multiple areas and the stories get lost in the process. Not this book, it stays on target. The only thing I didn’t like was that I just found out about the series at book 7 which functions very well as a stand-alone. I did not feel lost for a second because I didn’t read any of the prior books. Now I want to go back and read books 1-6. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the digital review copy.

This was a very interesting book. I like the fact. That it's like a murder mystery too. It makes it more fun. I love books that have librari it. This book was approved by netgalley and the publisher for me to read and review.

The Earl and Countess of Wrexford (Wrex and Charlotte) are pulled into two different conundrums in #MurderattheMertonLibrary, the seventh Wrexford and Sloane mystery by Andrea Penrose. Wrex is summoned to meet Neville Greeley, a librarian at Oxford’s Merton Library, and a former soldier who was in the same outfit as Wrex’ late brother, Thomas. Neville and Thomas were ambushed during the war with Napoleon—Thomas was killed while Neville survived with what we would recognize today as PTSD. Wrex arrives at the Merton Library only to discover that Neville was brutally murdered the night before.

In the meantime, Charlotte is preoccupied with a potential innovation that could mean significant changes to Britain’s economy and military might, and how her alter ego, satirical artist A. J. Quill, should bring the issue to the public’s attention.

Other friends and family members are dealing with their own challenges: Mac is struggling with a problem she refuses to discuss; there is tension between Kit Sheffield and his fiancée, Cordelia Mansfield, which could impact their engagement; and Peregrine (Lord Lampson) will soon reluctantly return to Eton after living as part of Charlotte’s and Wrex’ extended family.

Ably assisted by their inner circle—which in addition to Raven, Hawk, Peregrine, Kit and Cordelia, includes Tyler, McClellan, Lady Peake, Henning and Griffin—Charlotte and Wrex pursue their investigations, in social settings as well as rougher environments. Eventually, their efforts turn up clues indicating that the two investigations are related.

As usual, it all adds up to an interesting mystery with a charming cast of characters, who continue to exhibit intellectual as well as emotional growth.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for a free copy of the book.