Street Urchins in London are disappearing, and no one seems to care save for Juliette Thorndike. Daniel doesn’t want to be a part of this case, after all, he has a lot going on right now having just been told that a title and estate may be his. However, his love for Juliette, and the fact that he is a Bow Street Runner compels him to investigate what is happening to these children. When the past catches up to the future and secrets come to light, will Daniel and Juliette be able to weather the challenges that they are about to face, or will they lose each other and everything they love? Erica Vetsch has authored another mesmerizing novel filled with cloak and dagger mystery, adventure, and secret love. The rich historical detail and character emotions made for a breathtaking novel. In this third and final novel of the Thorndike and Swann series, readers will be taken from back alleys to glittering ballrooms on a fast paced and exciting journey that will leave them riveted until the very last word! I thank NetGalley and Kregel Publications for the ARC of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

If you love …

📖 Regency Romance
📖 Cozy Mysteries
📖 Continuing Romance
📖 The Duke of Haverly (IYKYK)
📖 Page-Turning Suspense

… Then you’ll enjoy this book. I did!

I also highly recommend reading the whole trilogy and I can't wait to discover the next series!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book.
I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.

Children of Shadows was a great way of wrapping up the Thorndike and Swann trilogy. Part mystery, part police procedural and part romance I think this might have been my favourite of the series. I wasn’t so keen on the last book, but this one delivered more in the way of character development as well as a tight plot. Gangs and police corruption aren’t easy subjects to fit into a Regency, but there are both here.

I felt this one was more historically authentic as well, or it might just be that I was better able to get immersed into it. Its kind of a shame thought that it has taken me until the 3rd and final novel to start really enjoying this series. I might re-read it from the beginning soon though.
A couple of returning characters from the author’s other regency series appear here, one in a major role (Marcus Haverly…. sigh) which will delight familiar readers and be of interest to new ones.

I downloaded an ARC of this title from Netgalley. This did not influence my opinions which are wholly my own and freely provided.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

I somehow missed that this was the third book in the series. However, I think there was enough information present to be able to read this and understand what is going on. It wasn't an overly memorable read to me, but I'm sure lovers of historical romances will enjoy this one.
Altogether I thought this book was okay. Historical fiction is always risky to me because I'm very picky when it comes to historical fiction.

"God didn’t make a mistake when He put me in this family. He knew what He was about, and I have no regrets."

"I have been given much in this world,
and I feel much is required as a result.
If I can help our nation and obey God at the same time, how can I say no?"

Children of the Shadows was a brilliant conclusion to a smashing good series!

This is one of those books that is so good, that it's honestly left me without words.
I fully enjoyed this read, and am truly sorry this series has come to an end.

Juliette and Daniel were so sweet together, and it warmed your heart just to read about them.

Kudos to the author on a series that was so beautifully done!

My thanks to the publisher for the complimentary e-book I received through Netgalley to review. A positive review was not required of me, and the thoughts above are my own.

Content: none really other than a brief mention of a crowd drinking a champagne toast.

In the third book of the series (oops), Daniel Swann learns he may be the rightful heir to a title and an estate -- but he must battle his half-brother in court for it. Without his title, his hopes of marrying Lady Juliette Thorndike would be dashed. Meanwhile, as a Bow Street runner, he investigates the disappearance of several missing street children and two murders. Juliette also navigates how her love for Daniel and place in society could coincide, as well as her friendship with Agatha, whose in love with Daniel's half brother Alonzo.
Great characters. I love their individuality and their relationships with one another. I absolutely love Juliette's uncle Bertie. He's a family man, clever, and hilarious. Great mysteries and nice romance. Definitely engaging! Only errors I saw were a couple misplaced apostrophes.

What a page turner!

This is the third story in the Thorndike and Swann trilogy with a focus on Bowstreet Runner, Daniel Swann. Swann is on tenuous terms in the Bowstreet Office and his guv is looking for any and every reason to kick him to the curb when he is reluctantly assigned to a murder investigation in a gaming club. Meanwhile, street children start disappearing. No one really noticed them until they weren't there. And then another murder! What is happening? The threads begin tying the murders and disappearances together and Daniel is desperately trying to find the culprit.

The story is primarily a mystery with a love story undercurrent and a little family drama to keep things interesting. Daniel's benefactor, who he now knows was his grandfather, has named him the rightful heir to his earldom...but a Bowstreet Runner doesn't run in high society. Trying to gain the cooperation of a society that despises him as an interloper, he solves the case while trying to find answers to his own story. Will he become an earl and will it pave the way to marriage to Lady Juliette? Or will he be doomed to say goodbye?

This was a very fast and entertaining read. I could not put it down! The author is extremely descriptive in her writing and I felt like I was transported to 1816 London...the beautiful and the seedy. The mystery was entertaining but the clues were there if one is paying attention. The real gem is the underlying story of Daniel Swann's path to his future. That was what I really wanted to know and that is what kept me turning the pages. There was almost a story within a story and it was worth sneaking in every bit of reading time I could find to wolf down this story. I also loved all the inspirational Biblical truth weaved throughout.

5 stars and a definite reread!

I adore Erica Vetsch's books and her newest Children of the Shadows is no different. I loved every thing about this sweet romance. I highly recommend it and am giving it five stars.

The final book in the Thorndike and Swann trilogy did not disappoint!! I read this book straight through in one sitting because I could not put it down. When children start disappearing off the street and dead bodies of grown men show up all over London, Daniel has to put the pieces together to catch the city’s greatest criminal mastermind before they strike again. Not everything is as it seems, and Daniel can’t be sure who to trust, as old friends are keeping secrets from him, and every time he moves, he stumbles over another mystery.

Will the Prince Regent recognize Daniel’s right to the earldom, allowing him to finally ask Juliette’s father for her hand in marriage? Will Juliette decide to continue her work as a spy for the crown? Will everyone survive to the end of the story?

All of Vetsch’s novels are automatic buys for me, and I love the way that she uses crossover characters from other books to help the reader dive deep into the Regency world that she has created. While this is the end of the trilogy, I’m hopeful that we will see Daniel and Juliette in future books, because I’m not ready to let their characters go!

Children of the Shadows
by Erica Vetsch
Pub Date 10 Oct 2023 |
Independent Publishers Group,Kregel Publications
Christian| Historical Fiction


Through Independent Publishers Group and Netgalley, I'm reviewing Children of the Shadows:


Daniel Swann and Juliette Thorndike once again team up to solve a dangerous mystery--while trying to hide their growing romance.


Someone is preying on the street kids of Regency London. It seems they think no one'll notice when kids go missing--and even if they do, who cares?


Daniel needs to do something about the missing kids. It's a terrible time to dive back into the seedy underbelly of crime, especially with recent revelations about his past. He's still a Bow Street runner, and Lady Juliette is sensitive to the plight of these wayward kids. To find the missing, they're searching shadowed alleys and coal-drenched streets.


Even if kids are in danger, the tangle of expectations and power dynamics can't be ignored. When Daniel's past threatens to overwhelm his future, he'll need a miracle and his friends to apprehend the villain and get to the bottom of his tangled family ties. It's possible he'll have to leave the children of the shadows to their terrible fate--or lose everything.


I give Children of the Shadows five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

This was an interesting story with a vividly rendered setting and a satisfying ending. The missing children were not as much a part of it as I expected. They barely received a mention until the halfway mark. The murder storyline received more focus. The predominant storyline, though, was about a disputed inheritance.

I hadn't read the previous books in the series, but for the most part, there was enough information provided about previous events to keep the reader from feeling lost. There were a couple of apparently long-standing animosities, however, that I didn't quite understand (especially the hatred from Daniel's boss). Perhaps if I'd read the previous books, it would have made more sense to me.

I wasn't a fan of the way the mystery was revealed. Daniel discovered the answer, but it wasn't revealed to the reader at that time. Then he talked to others about it without letting anything on to the reader. After that, there were some chapters about the drama in his personal life before the book got back to the mystery.

Also, while I was glad to see Daniel grow and heal the relationship with his mother, it seemed a sudden change. I felt that could have been better developed.

Overall, and interesting read, though.

This series has been incredible, and Children of the Shadows provided a great conclusion.

Juliette didn’t have as large a part in this mystery as the past two, which disappointed me a bit, but she still was fun to follow through the story. And we finally have a conclusion to Daniel’s quest to fill in the blanks of the past and heal from it. I won’t give anything away, but I was both surprised and pleased with the conclusion.

I thought Children of the Shadows also did a great job of fleshing out the supporting characters more. Some unexpected characters almost stole the show, and I loved seeing them play a larger part in the story. The mystery itself adds plenty of suspense, and I was engrossed in the story as I followed Daniel tracking lead after lead. Vetsch definitely kept me guessing.

Overall, Children of the Shadows is a sweet romantic mystery filled with great characters.

(4.5 / 5)

While already working on a murder case, Bow Street runner Daniel Swann is brought a case of missing street children by more than one individual. With the Duke of Haverly’s help, he’s also attempting to prove his rightful status as Earl of Rotherhhide, and both his future with Lady Juliette Thorndike and his future as an agent for the Home Office are in question depending on the outcome of the suit. Lady Juliette has also been asked to re-examine her commitment as a spy and is given time to think it over, while not being allowed to work on any cases.

I don’t gush over a book often, but I don’t think I can avoid it with this book, especially considering that it is the end of a series that I have loved and also follows up another series that I loved (Serendipity & Secrets). Vetsch is hands-down my favorite writer of Regency fiction, and I am so very sad to see this series come to a close. It feels like it’s just getting started! I want more mysteries for Thorndike and Swann, especially since they didn’t really get to work together in this book. And I REALLY want more Marcus Haverly! Though he was a side character in this book, he still stands strong as my favorite overall character from these 2 series.

The mystery in this story is engaging and exciting. It works well as a wrap-up to the series, since it involves some of the characters that recurred throughout. I tried so hard to guess at the identity of the main villain, but even though the clues are right there, I totally missed them. I kept grasping at outlandish theories, but hey, that’s why I’m not an investigator. There was another hidden identity that I did guess correctly, though. Juliette’s forced break from any real spy work was the only reason I rated this slightly less than 5 stars—the series is all about them teaming up to solve mysteries, after all.

I’m already looking forward to starting back at the beginning of the Serendipity & Secrets series and going through to this final book again. And maybe by then, there will be more of Marcus, Daniel & Juliette, maybe even Sophia or Philippa Cashel or the Cadogans, to carry on with. I highly recommend this book and series for fans of this genre and time period, whether you like romance or not, because there is some, but it’s not the focus of the books. But I would also really recommend checking out Serendipity & Secrets, and maybe even consider reading that trilogy first.

Children of the Shadows by Erica Vetsch is the third installment of her Thorndike & Swann Regency Mysteries series. These characters were so captivating in this series and the one before it (Serendipity & Secrets) that they could be meshed together into one extraordinary tale of romance, with mysteries so intricate that I would love to see it go to television as a series. It’s Jane Austin meets Sherlock Holmes and I can’t get enough of these characters that feel so real. Treat yourself and get started reading her books today.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

I had very much enjoyed reading books from Erica Vetsch in the past, and "Children of the Shadows" was no exception. While I haven't read the two previous instalments in the Thorndike & Swann series, it didn't prevent me from enjoying the book as a standalone.

This series is centred around Detective Daniel Swann, a Bow Street runner, and debutante Lady Juliette Thorndike, who, in this book, are trying to keep their growing romance a secret while Daniel's future is still uncertain. Street urchins are mysteriously disappearing and Daniel and his colleagues must find who is kidnapping them. I found that in this book, Lady Juliette really takes a back seat, she doesn't contribute much to the investigation. She is expressly asked to stay on the sidelines by "the agency", but for a series that should centre around these two detectives equally, I regretted that Juliette wasn't more involved in the investigation, despite trying to help the poor children of London. The mystery was solid although the denouement is not unexpected, and the suspense is ok.

I still very much enjoyed the book. I found it well written, rather well-paced, and the mystery kinda got me hooked, when I'd usually be more interested in the romance part of a book. Here, the romance was sweet if a bit lukewarm. I appreciated the portrayal of strong friendships (Marcus, Charlotte) but found the secondary characters to be either very well developed or on the contrary a little two unidimensional (e.g. Agatha). But then, it could be because I haven't read the previous books in the series and am missing some elements about these protagonists.

Overall, a great Regency mystery series, that isn't too dark nor too focused on romance. "Children of the Shadows" is concluding the trilogy, but if the author even writes a side series with some of the secondary characters, I'll be here for it! (Actually, I didn't realise until now that some characters present in this series are the protagonists in the "Serendipity & Secrets" series too.)

*I received a free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion*

When I requested a review copy, I didn’t realize that Children of the Shadows is part of a series. I was still able to follow along well.
This beautiful story blends mystery, intrigue, suspense, and romance together into a wonderful book that kept me turning pages late into the night.
The characters were so real feeling. I loved following them. The romance was sweet. The plot was entertaining. I was kept at the edge of my seat the whole time.
Regency London? spies? Romance? Yes, please!!!
The setting was so fun. I loved reading about various places that I’ve been throughout London.
I really enjoyed the writing! It was immersive and engaging. It was poetic, beautiful, and flowed smoothly. Infact, I highlighted several descriptions just because I liked them so much.
This was my first book by Erica Vetsch but I definitely want to read more!
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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts expressed are strictly my own.*

A complex storyline that had me intrigued from the beginning. The characters developed so well and were inspiring as I followed their journey through life.

What an incredible finale for this crime-fighting Regency couple! I loved how Daniel and Juliette remained true and faithful to their love despite hardships and doubts. I really enjoyed getting to know some of the secondary characters better in this book, particularly Cadogan. The plot is fast-paced and abounds with mystery and intrigue as Daniel and his partner race to catch a murderer and a kidnapper of children. The identity of the culprit will surprise you immensely. The story also brings about a resolution to Daniel’s heritage mystery and inheritance; the resolution will, no doubt, surprise you as well. The Regency banter is quite wonderful and witty. There is a deep theme of forgiveness that runs throughout Daniel’s part in the story that is gratifying.

I’m hoping for a novella or even a full-length novel about Uncle Bertie (Juliette’s uncle) and Pippa (Charlotte’s half sister). That would be the proverbial icing on this delicious cake of a series.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Kregel Publication via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Children of the Shadows by Erica Vetsch is exactly what I would have hoped for in part three of the Thorndike and Swann Regency Series.
Juliette is such a free spirit who is deciding what her next steps in life will look like. She has gotten a taste of the spy life and has come to love it. She has so much to learn and process and cannot wait to get started. Then at the last minute, her parents get called away on business for the crown.
Daniel is amazing as a bow street runner. Working together with Juliette confirms his growing feelings but muddies the waters in his inheritance claims.
On top of navigating their love for each other, the messy politics that come with being titled, and a handful of missing children, Juliette and Daniel embark on their most critical mission yet.
This story has all the things I have come to love from both characters, as well as the supporting characters that have been integral along the way throughout the series. The chemistry, the action, the complex story line, and mystery are all so well done. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

I so enjoyed this read!

And here’s something funny: it’s book 3 in a series; I’d already DNFed book 2 because I felt it would merit from reading book 1 first/in order.

I did not feel the same here, haha! I mean, yes, I do think it’d be good to read the series in order (and I’ll be rectifying that pronto myself). But this book didn’t suffer from reading out of order as much as its predecessor did. And frankly, I was enjoying the read too darn much anyway; I wasn’t about to stop! Lol!

The characters are immensely likable, and I can’t wait to get to know them more throughout the series. There’s humor, romance, intrigue, and faith, and true depth of character, tough choices, and just plain life complexities on every page.

Very, very well done.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.