The Duke and Lady Scandal by Christy Carlyle leans heavily into its mystery and detective elements, sometimes at the expense of the romance. While I enjoyed the book well enough it was a bit forgettable and not anything I would recommend to my patrons who enjoy historical romance.

Carlyle’s writing is decent but the investigative plot took up a lot of space, leaving the romance feeling a bit underdeveloped. That being said, if you enjoy historical romance with a solid dose of intrigue, The Duke and Lady Scandal might hit the spot. It reminded me a bit of the PBS series Ms. Scarlet and the Duke.