Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

I just didn’t find the characters compelling. Maybe I would have if I’d read the first novel, but probably not. The setting and plot line had potential though.

As a huge fan of the regency era and novels set during this time, i had a lot to look forward to with this book, however i didnt feel an initial connection with any of the characters which made reading this one a little bit of a chore. i didnt dislike it but i wasnt captivated as hoped. Definitely hope to read more from this author though!

The Elgin Conspiracy was only so-so for me, but I think it would really work for some people! I had difficulty getting into the story and rooting for any of the characters. That could be because I dropped into this series without reading the first installment, The Persephone Code. And for my own personal preference, the romance level was higher than I enjoy. Most of these things are just the product of not the right book for the right reader, hence the 3 stars. It was a decent mystery in a well-loved setting.

ord Elgin’s Greek marbles are the talk of London society, but behind the scenes a dark and dangerous threat is closing in, intent on taking back that which was plundered. Fresh from their success in exposing the murderous Hell Fire Club, actress Dora Fitz-Pennington and ex-army doctor Jacob Sandys, are employed by the earl to go undercover and root out the culprit.

With two main characters who are so likeable, and never a dull moment, this book balances dark themes with a wry humour in a Regency setting. What a pleasure to revisit the beautiful, resourceful feisty actress Dora Fitz-Pennington's relationship with the smitten, loyal ex-army doctor, Lord Jacob Sandys when they meet again in solving the Elgin Conspiracy in Julia Golding's sequel to the Persephone Code. Politics, obsessive collectors like Lord Elgin and Sir.John Soane , a secret society, murders and puzzles are set against Britain's homefront during the Napoleonic wars giving historical context which was hugely interesting. A delicious and satisfying book.

I really tried…
I enjoy the Regency era, immersing myself in another world, feeling the atmosphere, the thrill, butterflies in the stomach, and the first signs of blossoming love.

But something was missing here. The characters didn’t captivate me—they are bland, lackluster, and dull. Their lives weren’t particularly exciting for me either—I simply expected something entirely different from what I got.

Described by author Emma Orchard as “The Regency as we’ve never seen it before,” The Elgin Conspiracy is just that. This book is an intriguing cosy mystery with romantic elements added thanks to central characters Dora Fitz-Pennington and Jacob Sandys, who team up to investigate a series of murders and threats against Lord Elgin. Set in 1812, the story swirls with the glamour of Regency London, though we also get to see some of the less appealing sides of this bustling metropolis. Dora and Jcob are joined by an eclectic group of secondary characters that allow us a broad glimpse into life at that time in history. At the same time, with murders and attempted murders taking place and few clues to either link or solve them, there is plenty going on in the plot to keep readers interested. I liked the way this story was interwoven with just enough historical fact to keep it grounded in its time and just enough possibility to keep us wondering whether, for example, there really was a Society Of Roman Knights. It’s been an enjoyable and entertaining read and I will happily read Julie Golding’s books again.

Unusual investigative partners actress Dora and army surgeon Javob are hired to find out who murdered Lord Elgins assistant. There's a lot of history around the marbles and multiple people fighting to claim it, the Greeks, the Brits, Napoleon and forgeries. Dora and Jacob have to work through all these intrigues to find the killer. A great read.

#netgalley #TheElginConspiracy

Having enjoyed Dora and Jacob's first adventure, this one is even better as the protagonists are familiar and likeable. The story begins with an atmospheric scene full of menace. The reader is reintroduced to Jacob and Dora, who are now a couple of sorts and anticipating solving another mystery together. I like the dynamic between Dora and Jacob and their evident passion for each other. The storytelling is peppered with historical details, and the mystery is twisty. Including well-known historical characters and events adds authenticity. The cast of characters is diverse, and all are flawed and relatable. It is addictive once you start reading, and the ending is action-packed and satisfying. I enjoyed the historical setting, solving the mystery and the characters.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This is an entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its cast of likeable and interesting characters which can easily be read as a standalone story. as I did having missed the first book somehow. I will be going back to read the first. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A regency romance with mystery and adventure. This is the second book in the Regency Secrets series. I was unaware so I haven't read The Persephone Code (yet!). I wasn't lost so I feel The Elgin Conspiracy works as a standalone. I will read the first book though as I enjoyed the writing style and would love to read more along these lines.

This sequel to “The Persephone Code” is a fabulous mix of historical, mystery, and romance. Secrets, assassins, and much-coveted Greek marble make for a riveting tale.

Hired by the owner of the famous Elgin marbles, Jacob and Dora once again find themselves embroiled in the search for a murderer, with French spies and Scottish lairds as their suspects.

It was lovely to see the continuation of Jacob and Dora's relationship with its struggles of class and personality clashes, as well as delve into the controversy surrounding the appropriation of Greek relics during the Napoleonic Wars.

A troubling acquisition!

The tale moves smartly. A fascinating look at these times in London and an interesting plot yet for some reason I dragged my feet reading this. If I’d read the first in series parts of the story might have been more enlightening.
It seems some of the marbles are not as genuine as they’re thought to be.
Investigative partners actress Dora have been Fitz-Pennington and former army doctor Jacob Sandys have been hired by Lord Elgin to find out who murdered his assistant Richard Brookings, an expert in marbles.
Their task becomes more complicated by Greek nationalists fighting for the return of the marbles, Napoleon having designs on them, and the prospect of some of the marbles being frauds. Lord Byron is in the mix, as are others of the aristocracy.
Trouble surely follows!
The Elgin marbles! 200 years or more later and Greece is still trying to repatriate them.
High handed British imperialism has a lot to answer for!

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

May 1812 Ex-army surgeon Dr Jacob Sandys and actress Dora Fitz-Pennington are employed by Lord Elgin as he believes he is being threatened. Is it because of the Marbles or is it his ex-wife. Or is there another reason.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its cast of likeable and interesting characters which can easily be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read the first book by Julia Golding, The Persephone Code, which I enjoyed immensely, and was really pleased to be given the opportunity to read the follow up.

Lord Elgin approaches Dora and Jacob as an associate of his has been killed and threatening letters have been sent, is it to do with the marbles that have been brought back from Greece or could it be connected to his first wife and her new husband.

Enjoyable on the whole, not sure it had the charm of the first book, was a little heavy going in parts but still a good read.

Would recommend

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Elgin Conspiracy by Julia Golding is a third person dual-POV romantic historical mystery continuation of The Persephone Code. Jacob and Dora are navigating their new relationship that they began in the previous book and things are not going as swimmingly as they could. Dora doesn’t want to be a kept woman and Jacob is struggling not to keep asking Dora to marry him. Amidst their relationship trouble, they are tasked with finding the person threatening Lord Elgin who has recently brought back marbles from the Parthenon.

I think a lot of people online who are passionate about history, museums, and reparations are aware of the conversation around the marbles known as the Elgin Marbles. Dora and Jacob represent the two most common sides of the argument, with Jacob believing that the marbles are safer in the UK while Dora is firmly on the side of returning the marbles to Greece. The novel can’t rewrite history and return the marbles to Greece, but it can bring this issue to the attention of those who were previously unaware but were fans of the first book or of historical mysteries and Regency period fiction. Like Dora, I very much believe the marbles should be returned to their rightful home where they can be appreciated in the context they were created in, but it’s still important to be aware of the arguments the opposition is having so you can better counter them if the need arises.

Between Dora and Jacob, Dora is my preferred POV. Beyond the differing views on the marbles, Dora’s POV goes more in depth on how the common folk lived in the Regency period whereas Jacob’s is more on the decadence of the upper class. I love Regency romances, where the vast majority involve a love interest who is a duke, so I’m fairly familiar with the upper crust side of what was going on in that time period. It’s the actresses like Dora and the maids and footmen that I’m much less familiar with so I’m always delighted to see a POV character who focuses on the lives of those who were not part of the elite.

One of the biggest names in romantic poetry, Lord Byron, shows up and his personal affairs are given quite a bit of attention. But it wasn’t his romantic life that really drew my attention as I, like any fan of Byron, was already aware of his Bisexuality and long list of lovers. What shocked me was that Byron was an opponent of Lord Elgin removing the marbles from the Parthenon. I immediately did some quick research to see if that was truly the case and was pleasantly surprised to see that it is with Byron being a very vocal and passionate critic of Elgin. I love it when personal conflicts of real historical figures are threaded throughout a historical novel focusing on fictional characters.

I would recommend this to fans of the Persephone Code, readers who prefer romantic historical mysteries to historical romance, and those who are interested in more of the historical context around the marbles stolen from the Parthenon

Actress Dora Fitz-Pennington and ex-army doctor Jacob Sandys are hired by Lord Elgin because he believes he is in danger. I found the mystery quite intriguing, although I felt a bit lost in the first few chapters even if I read the first book. However, I enjoyed the dynamic between the characters and the character development, which is important in this type of book. I truly appreciated the fast pace of the story, and I feel it's a fresh and well-built narrative.

Set in 1812, Dora - Fitz Pennington and Dr Jacob Sandys, first met in the previous book in which they investigated the Hellfire Club and tried to help Dora’s brother, with tragic results. Now, Lord Elgin of the Marbles fame or infamy, has asked for their help to solve the murder of one of his archaeologists,Richard Brooking, who was skilled at detecting fake antiquities that purport to be associated with the other Greek relics.
Jacob and Elgin first met in Greece when the Marbles were being removed to London for safety. Elgin has been threatened by a mysterious person, with a knowledge of Greek, he suspects his ex- wife Mary and her new husband who live in Scotland.
Dora and Jacob travel to Scotland to begin their investigations and discover plots to return the Marbles to France at the request of Napoleon Bonaparte.
They have to cope with bombers, assassins,a secretive society, French spies and throughout, they find that they are both deeply attracted to each other, but will this help them to work and love better together or prove too distracting.
Dora is an actress and places a high price upon her independence and earning her own keep. Jacob is from an aristocratic family and wants nothing more than for Dora to give up the stage and work on further investigations with him, this does cause arguments.
A very intriguing and informative book. I was amazed to read about The Society of Roman Knights, my parents lived in Holbeach and I did read up on William Stukeley and his plans to keep the British identity pure, we are Celts, Britons, Romans and Anglo- Saxons, we are NOT Greek.
There is much fun and saucy adventures in this novel, plus the Love that dare not speak its name is mentioned with the reticence of those times.
Who knew there was so much delight on a kitchen table?
A fantastic read, so very enjoyable, a real page turner, I do hope for more in this series. Full of social and political awareness, but it wears its learning lightly, it entertains throughout. A five star read.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers HarperCollinsUK and One More Fiction for my ARC, freely given in exchange for my honest review.
I will leave a copy to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

I felt like I was dropped into the middle of the story with no background information. I had no idea what was going on. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

3.75 out of 5 stars!

Regency historical adventure romance. Can it get better than this?

The moment I laid eyes on this book cover, I knew I had to read it. Then I dove into the premise, and I was certain I’d love every page. What I didn’t realize, though, was that this was the second book in a series!

This is an entertaining and skillfully crafted historical mystery, full of likeable, enjoyable and intriguing characters. Had I not known it was a sequel, I would’ve easily believed this was a standalone.

If you love historical romance with a hint of spy and mystery, this book is for you!