The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane is the final book in the Blackfriars Lane series of which I highly recommend reading all three in order.
I have really enjoyed spending my time with Kit and Jackson in these past three books. There has been a lot of character development for both of them.
The series including this book takes place in Victorian England and it's so different from the books I have read taking place in modern day England.
For your convenience there are historical notes at the end of the book explaining a bit about the time period and the definition of some words. I know it helped me a lot.
The book was an adrenaline-soaked rush the whole way through. I think as I read some of the book I forgot to breathe. From the circus to the back-alleys will an emotional case from the heart be their last? Kit and Jackso love their new baby daughter with all their heart, but will they be able to maintain their quality work and the care of their daughter as well. A faith filled historical fiction balancing mystery, suspense and the importance of family.
Highly recommended!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Michelle Griep kept this series fresh and exciting with another suspenseful adventure for Kit, Jackson and friends. With the same detailed Victorian England background, the atmosphere was perfect for this new story to unfold. It was great fun to see familiar characters in a different stage of life as well as learn more about other characters from the previous books. The two couples at very different stages in their relationship have enjoyable romantic scenes. The added bits of humor that had me laughing out loud simply completed this wonderful tale. I can only hope that there will be another book in this series very soon. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane is a fast-paced story of Kit and Jackson's attempt to take down a smuggler. The chase becomes messy as dead bodies add up. Kit now a mother, finds continuing in her investigative duties more difficult.

Descriptions of underground London and characters kept me turning the pages. The story is full of emotion, danger, and various desirable and undesirable characters that keep you guessing. Will hope, love, and justice endure to the end? You'll have to read it to find out. A great conclusion to a well-written series.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and a positive review is not required. All opinions are my own.

We finally got the series finale with Kit, Jackson, and little Bella! This story is set in Victorian England with plenty of action with mystery, suspense, and romance! The second half of the book kept me riveted and up late getting to the end. Which was a very satisfying happily ever after. Michelle Griep has such a great knowledge of that era, and it shows in her story. My thanks to @barbourbooks for the advance reader copy. This is my honest opinion.

Aw, Jackson and Kit! It is great to see them again as they are settling into married and now have an adorable baby daughter. Jackson has taken on more responsibilities with the police force and the busyness of the staff and his cases. Kit enthusiastically jumps into her role as a partner with her father in an enquiry agency. She has street smarts and a network of people who can help her with her first case.

I have loved the series, but I especially loved this story. This is not only a story with a mystery to solve that gets more complicated and more complicated, but you also get to see Kit and Jackson’s relationship continue to develop. Kit is a spitfire and you are not sure what she will do, but you can count on finding her taking risks to track down clues and see justice prevail. Jackson is the perfect balance for Kit. He’s patient, daily eats his burned breakfast without complaint, and wholeheartedly supports Kit’s decision to be a detective.

I enthusiastically recommend this book for many reasons, and here are just a few:

amazing side characters
baby Bella
the armadillo
circus mayhem
humor
faith-filled message
a complex mystery

Favorite Quote:
“Pursue love instead of dwelling in past failure. That path can only lead to a denial of the present and a forfeiture of the future.”

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by BarbourPublishing through Celebrate Lit and through NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.

I couldn't stop reading this book. I always wanted to see what was on the next page. I adore Kit and Jackson and their romance. In this novel, Kit uses her street smarts to try to root out a baby-napper who stole his own child away from his wife. As Kit takes on this heart wrenching task as the first case for her new detective agency with her father, Kit finds herself in dangerous situations more frequently than Jackson can rescue her. Another romance is developing between Jackson's trusted partner and Kit's friend who runs the soup kitchen. Will Baggett and Martha find a happily ever after or will their doubts and fears push them apart? And why does it appear Martha might be targeted when she isn't even involved in Kit's case? Could it be because she watches Kit's baby daughter Bella while Kit is working? Oh, look out. Kit can turn into Mama Bear faster than a real mama bear.
And all the while Kit tries desperately to solve this case and Jackson works under the burden of an impossible task set before him by his boss, is Kit plagued by mama-guilt and wife-guilt? Is she spending too much time away from her daughter and husband? Was it a mistake to partner with her father to do what she's always loved?
If you've read the first parts of this series, or even if you haven't, you are going to love this book. Superbly written with outstanding character development by Michelle Griep, sit back and share this adventure with Kit, Jackson and Bella. You won't soon forget it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

The Sleuth of Blackfriar’s Lane is a Victorian-era mystery featuring Kit, who has recently opened an Enquiry Agency with her father, and her husband, Jackson Forge, who is the new Chief Inspector over a London station. In addition to juggling their new roles, they are also adjusting to being parents. When a case comes to the Enquiry Agency involving a missing child, Kit can’t resist helping the mother find her child. But as she is drawn deeper and deeper into a conspiracy with dangerous consequences, Kit must enlist the help of both her father and her husband, which endangers her own daughter’s life. Can she unravel who is behind it all before those she loves get hurt?

This book is riveting, with a dangerous and action-packed case to solve, intertwined with humor and romance. Our heroine is very relatable in her doubts about juggling motherhood with a job that she loves. Jackson, our hero, is just as relatable as he’s balancing being a manager and boss, with his family life. The author uses historic details of Victorian London that will make a reader feel like they are really there. There is also a budding romance between Jackson’s best officer, Charles Baggett and Kit’s close friend Martha that is endearing and sweet, as they all get caught up in the case with Kit. This is the third book in a series, and though I hadn’t read the first two, I wasn’t lost with this one. The Sleuth of Blackfriar’s Lane is a memorable mystery, perfect for an afternoon of reading!

It's been about one and a half years since we were last treated to a story about Jackson and Kit Forge. Jackson is now an over-worked chief inspector, and Kit is trying to balance motherhood and opening a new detective agency with her father. All of Kit's growing maternal instincts and feelings make it impossible to turn down the first case that comes to the new detective agency, that of a missing child, in spite of her father's objections. This lively story has more than its own share of chaos and mayhem. Even Kit and Jackson's close friends and colleagues get pulled into the maelstrom. Readers will likely feel that they've been sucked in as well. As in real life, there are lessons to be learned in the storm. Griep allows us to learn alongside her characters from the safety of our favorite reading spots as her characters face danger head on.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. In my opinion this book is quite worth the time spent between its covers.

I uploaded my review to Goodreads. I will upload it to Amazon on release day.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Michelle Griep for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane coming out April 1, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love this series! I always enjoy Michelle Griep’s books. Kit and Jackson are a fun couple and I love seeing the growth of their relationship over the series. I think a lot of the book centers around Kit trying to balance home and work life. The mystery was good, but I definitely think I enjoyed Kit and Jackson working together more.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romances!

Take a run down the streets and back streets of Victorian London, even a circus. Detectives Kit, Jackson, Graybone and Charles have all lived lives fighting criminals and protecting the innocents, in such different ways that complement and make a great team. Throw in a new baby, mystery, murder and romance and you've got quite a story. A great one. Ice in their veins, deep love in their hearts. Good faith lessons throughout.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheSleuthofBlackfriarsLane #NetGalley #MichelleGriep #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #BarbourPublishing #ChristianHistoricalFiction

An action packed historical mystery that is an amazing wrap-up to a wonderful series. In this thrilling conclusion to the Blackfriars series, Michelle Griep again takes the reader back in time. With wonderful, time period appropriate lingo and attention to detail 1887 London comes alive around the reader. The interaction between the characters is lively and so entertaining! The book flowed along, giving adrenaline highs and adventure around every corner. But with that adventure comes danger as well. Kit and Jackson are working to find their balance with married life and work. When Kit follows her heart on a new detective case, their family may be asked to pay the price for the answers she is trying to unearth. The constant through all this new danger though is the trust and love they have in each other and the God they know cares for them.
I loved the friendships and relationships brought to life in this book. They are so real and down to earth. Each character felt like a friend I was able to learn more about. And the detailed description makes the book feel more like a movie was able to watch unfold. Once I started reading I definitely did not want to put it down. The wonderful exchanges, the edge of your seat adrenaline, and excitement to get all the final answers kept the thrill going until the last page. One of the best series I have read in some time and can't recommend enough. Michelle Griep is a wonderful author that puts so much research and detail in each story that you get to go on a trip with each book she writes. Don't wait to start this series. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Responsibilities, missing people, complications, page turning heart-in-throat moments.

Married life could never be boring for Kit and Jackson, but they are off to an auspicious start in this continuation of the Blackfriars Lane series.

As a relatively new husband and now sleep deprived father, Jackson has also been recently promoted to the role of Chief Inspector! While he’s striving to gather up all the reins needed to run the station smoothly and efficiently, there seems to be no lack of complications, paperwork, and people vying for his attention, his help, and his job!

Kit meanwhile has been taking on the responsibilities of home and their small child, and now she’s beyond excited to once again help others in need as she opens a detective agency with her father! While the first case to walk into the agency would be better passed off to the police, the mother’s heart in Kit, not to mention her sense of justice, can’t simply sit on the sidelines and do nothing. What’s one more responsibility to shoulder for a bit? Except, the further Kit goes on the case, the more complicated and dangerous the situation becomes.

If you enjoyed the first two books in the Blackfriars Lane series, you’ll definitely not want to miss out on this continuation. Once again, Michelle Griep has continued the story of Kit and her husband Jackson in a way, that not only further develops the characters but switches the reader back and forth between laughter and tears and the need to read “one more chapter” until the very end.

Picking up this book was like checking in on friends, whom you’ve had the joy of knowing since the very beginning of their relationship. However for the first quarter of the Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane, I was actually frustrated with Kit. Shouldn’t she be settling down instead of adding more roles to her current responsibilities or taking such risks? Then it dawned on me how complex Kit’s character actually is. Kit has lived her entire life in the rough parts of the city, perfecting the skills needed to survive and to protect others around her. A year plus of marriage, and the more recent role of motherhood, isn’t just going to turn off that sense of justice or the drive to fix everything herself, much less indue her with other skills she hasn’t really needed until lately. With that realization, I began reading with the hope that Kit would be able to find the balance between all her roles before anything serious happened to her or to those around her.
The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane was not a disappointment, but instead became my favorite adventure in the Kit and Jackson trilogy.

Kit is excited to be starting an enquiry agency with her father, but their first case is a difficult one - and takes her away from baby Bella for far too much of the day. Jackson loves both Kit and Bella, but insufficient sleep, burned food and an impossible tangle of paperwork at the office (with a short deadline!) isn't quite how he pictured marital bliss. And as the case unexpectedly turns dangerous - and reveals more and more layers - it becomes a question not only of whether they can solve it, but whether they'll come out alive at the other end...

An interesting new instalment of Kit and Jackson's story, with a dash of romance and a heaping serving of mystery, not to mention plenty of action as they try to solve it. I enjoyed seeing more of their married life and particularly watching Kit trying to work out her role. Jackson seemed oddly slow to recognise the uses of his 'useless' new detective, though one could easily understand his frustration and the pressure he was under. The 'layered-ness' of the mystery was at once a positive and a negative - it avoided things being over-simplified, but at times did feel a bit never-ending. However, the secondary romance was a nice addition, and it was satisfying to see the Sergeant finally accepting what everyone else already knew needed to happen. All in all, a good read, clean and with an interesting mystery and 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.

Great sequal! I loved reading the next part in Kit and Jackson’s story. This was my favorite of the three books. I liked all the different storylines we got to be a part of. How all the different facets of the story intertwined. Trusting in God throughout all the dangers of life was encouraging to read. If you enjoyed the others in this series then this book is definitely not to be missed!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fantastic addition to a favorite series! I sure hope this is not the last we will read of Kit and Jackson.

Kit's life has taken a change from when readers met her in the first book of the series. Now a wife and a mother, she must learn to juggle those roles with her sleuthing. Her irrepressible spirit, along with her street smarts makes her a force to be reckoned with, as she seeks to use her talents in her new detective agency.

The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane grabbed my attention from the very first page, delivering a fast-paced adventure, filled with danger and suspense. Ms. Griep's vivid descriptions had me walking the streets and back alleys with Kit, experiencing the sights and sounds of Victorian London. As danger hits close to home, Kit and Jackson find they need to rely on each other before they run out of time. With expert pacing, readers will be captivated until the exciting conclusion has been read.

While the underworld of Victorian London can be rather dark, Ms. Griep always has a strong message of hope and resilience, the perfect blend of mystery and romance. I love reading stories/ series where readers can watch the main characters' love continue to grow after the wedding vows and into the real life that follows. Hopefully this is not the last we will read of Blackfriars Lane and its cast of memorable characters.

****I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book so much! I enjoyed seeing the obvious love between Kit and Jackson, and Kit's intrepid spirit was so endearing. Griep's sense of place and time was spot on and totally immersed me in the history and era. The tangled mystery kept me riveted as did the excellently crafted characters and the layers of relationship complexity. Well done!

“What a fine bucket of fish guts this was turning out to be. She’d hoped for an intriguing first case to solve— Not an impossible one.”

Ah, this story by Michelle Griep!! First, because it is a Griep, buy now, ask later. Seriously, my motto for her books. However, I must say you will want to have read The Thief of Blackfriars Lane and The Bride of Blackfriars Lane, so you feel like Jackson and Kit are close friends you respect, even if it's impossible to predict their actions. Common themes to Griep are forgiveness and trust, plus judging others and teamwork. Beautifully depicted.

Kit has so much spunk and impetuosity, plus a great nose for mystery solving that she has connived to get her father to open a detective agency with her. All is well and good if Kit stays where she belongs, according to her father and Jack, safe in the background, in the office. As if!

Kit finds that motherhood has changed her in so many ways. She yearns for her child, yet leaves her daily with her good friend, Martha. Can she put aside her mothering instincts long enough to be an unprejudiced part of the detective team? Can she remember she is a mother enough to be sure she avoids danger? Can we say Kate is very conflicted?!

Jackson has his own issues. He’d might not miss Kate’s shenanigans so much if he didn’t have a precinct to run, with multiple officers needing attention of various degrees, and a supervisor ready to shut the whole office down. Plus a nuisance vagabond hanging around. Oh, vey!

Jackson is fortunate to have a loyal friend in Charles Bagette, an officer who entered training when Jack did. But Bagette has two strikes against him. He’s charged with keeping Kit safe. And, he’s falling for Martha, a baker and soup kitchen cook. Martha just happens to be Bella’s ( Kit’s daughter)babysitter, in addition to Frankie’s mother. The same Frankie who either has a future as a thug or a detective, under Kit’s tutelage.

One thing I always love about a Griep novel is the multiple storylines woven in and out around each other. We have all the above, plus the very complicated mystery that Kit takes on against her father’s consent. So now we also have that relationship thread to follow.

Danger. Action. Twist. Repeat. Biblical truth. Short contemplation how that should affect the character’s action. Swift, short, cry-outs to God. Then start at the beginning of this paragraph with danger and repeat the scenario. My heart barely survived the action, but surviving the emotional tugs was worse!

I cannot do justice to this book. But it will be on the very short list for my fave book of the year!!

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via Netgalley, plus I bought 2 paperbacks. This is a book to be shared! No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

it always comes back to trusting in God’s plan. Rest assured that no matter what you do or don’t do, you will not thwart whatever our mighty Creator is up to.The best we can accomplish is to hold tight to our faith and keep walking towards eternity a step at a time.”

“ …love covers a multitude of sins. So, pursue that. Pursue love instead of dwelling in past failure. That path can only lead to a denial of the present and a forfeiture of the future.”

“But it’s God who brings beauty from ashes. Don’t push away that gift. It is never prudent or wise to stiff-arm God. “

The Blackfriars Lane Enquiry Agency

Kit Forge (née Turner) has opened a detective agency with her Father, retired police sergeant Graybone.
Her husband Jackson, now Chief Inspector Forge, of course encourages her. He understands the gift Kit is. Oh, not your usual housewife. Oh no! Kit is a law unto herself, a child of the streets, a fighter who’s learned to lean on God and trust, albeit she sometimes goes her own route.
Kit takes on the plight of a mother whose husband has taken their babe and run. Her father is against it but Kit can only see through her own emotional response. How she’d react if her daughter Bella was taken from her.
There’s a murky situation evolving around Mrs. Coleman and Kit, with shadowy figures beyond the edges. Jackson has his hands full as the Chief, Graybone has taken on another enquiry. When the three cases dissect and overlap things become volatile.
Kit is going to be surprised, Jackson is going to be on full alert as his family is threatened. The chase is on with danger from every side.
A lively and astonishing read with the lives of secondary characters developing in a variety of ways. There’s Martha, baby Bella’s day care person, and Martha’s wonderful family. There’s Inspector Charles Bagget‘s whose heart lights up when he’s with Martha, but he’s scarred from a past relationship and can’t move forward.
Such a wonderful group, each a gift to us and to each other. The backdrop to Blackfriars Lane is a Dickensian London. To my mind Blackfriars Lane is somewhat akin to ‘Call the Midwife’, (I don’t know why—maybe because it’s the close community aspect) but on steroids, with faith and trust being central.
Another entertaining and intriguing read from Michelle Griep.

A Barbour ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Michelle Griep does it again with the Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane bringing mystery, intrigue and a little romance. Being that this book is the third in the series the main characters Kit and Jackson are married with a baby. The exciting yet humorous book weaves a story of them learning to trust God to take care of them as they struggle to balance the changes and challenges their life together brings. It is a wonderful book.

It's been a treat to follow Kit and Jackson from the very beginning of how they met to now having a family. I recommend you start reading this series with book 1 for a better reading experience.

In this story, Kit feels pulled in all directions and with so many things clamoring for her attention. Of course, Jackson supports her but he's busy as well. When she takes on a case that pulls at her heartstrings more than usual, they both become involved in more ways than they expected.

The setting is completely immersive, the secondary characters are balanced, and the writing is excellent, as always. The kind of book you can't put down!

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.