In Regency London, an unconventional scientist and a fearless female artist form an unlikely alliance to expose unspeakable evil . . .
The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. He does not suffer fools gladly. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back. As their war of words escalates, London’s most popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a church—his face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to ear—and Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect.
An artist in her own right, Charlotte Sloane has secretly slipped into the persona of her late husband, using his nom de plume A.J. Quill. When Wrexford discovers her true identity, she fears it will be her undoing. But he has a proposal—use her sources to unveil the clergyman’s clandestine involvement in questionable scientific practices, and unmask the real murderer. Soon Lord Wrexford and the mysterious Mrs. Sloane plunge into a dangerous shadow world hidden among London’s intellectual enclaves to trap a cunning adversary—before they fall victim to the next experiment in villainy . . .
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Sexual Content - 1/5
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Violence - 2/5
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Language - 1/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 1/5
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Summary
After Lord Wrexford has a public disagreement with a clergymen, the scientist/nobleman immediately falls under suspicion by authorities when said clergyman is murdered. To prove his innocence in the matter, Lord Wrexford sets out to discover the truth, setting his sights on the satirical cartoonist 'AJ Quill' who has details of the crime no one else saw.
Right from the start, this is a fantastic story. The science side of the novel makes it stand out from the others based in the era. Lord Wrexford is an intriguing character, logical and focused on the facts. To compliment him, we have Charlotte, an artist who looks at things outside of the box.
The mystery is enjoyable and the reader is led along at a nice pace. At times, the alchemy terms are a bit confusing and bog things down just a bit. The minor characters are a delight and memorable in their own way.
All in all, I want to know more. would love to follow Lord Wrexford and Charlotte as they solve more mysteries together.
This is a must read for any fan of historical mysteries.
I was given a copy from the publisher for review purposes.