Death Comes to London

October 27, 2014
Set in 1817, Lloyd’s engaging follow-up to 2013’s Death Comes to the Village takes Lucy Harrington and her younger sister, Anna, from their home in tiny Kurland St. Mary to London. There they hope to find a suitable husband for Anna through the patronage of their uncle, the Earl of Clavelly. Meanwhile, their irascible neighbor, Maj. Robert Kurland, receives a letter from the Prince Regent, who wishes to make him a baronet for his heroism at the Battle of Waterloo. Robert dislikes the prospect of such official recognition, but in the end he follows the Harrington sisters to London, where he soon runs into an old army colleague, Lieutenant Broughton. When Broughton’s sharp-tongued grandmother and wastrel brother die under suspicious circumstances after the grandmother is accused of jewel theft, Robert and Lucy investigate. Regency fans will find plenty to like, though some readers may be disappointed by a paltry array of suspects. Agent: Deidre Knight, Knight Agency.

The London season promises more than husband-hunting for an accomplished amateur sleuth. Lucy Harrington and her lovely sister Anna are heading to London, where they hope to meet more eligible bachelors than the charming village of Kurland St. Mary can provide. Helpful as Lucy has been to Maj. Robert Kurland, who still hasn't quite recovered from the badly broken leg he acquired at Waterloo, he doubts that she'll find a man willing to tolerate her independent personality. Much to his dismay, Kurland himself is summoned to London, where the prince regent is awarding him a baronetcy for his heroism. Soon enough, he and Lucy are involved in another mystery that suddenly blossoms at Almack's Assembly Rooms, a social club where the dowager Countess of Broughton-the grandmother of Lt. Broughton, the army friend Kurland is staying with-drops dead after drinking some orgeat. Broughton himself has been exhibiting symptoms of poisoning, and his younger brother has been acting strangely. Lady Bentley has accused the Broughton family of stealing some valuable rubies, and when she drowns in a boating accident and Broughton is on the scene, the mystery turns even darker. Broughton, who's deeply interested in scientific research, deplores the herbal recipes his grandmother concocted, one of which may well have been the source of the poison that killed her and sickened him and his brother. Lucy and Kurland team up to investigate the complicated crime while pursuing their contentious relationship. Lucy's second case (Death Comes to the Village, 2013) is a pleasant combination of Regency romance and mystery that evokes fond memories of Georgette Heyer, even if it can't match her charm or depth of characterization. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2014
Major Kurland and Lucy Harrington meet in London during the social season in their second adventure. Lucy wants to find a husband, and the major is being honored for his war heroics. At one of the many parties, an unpleasant woman dies right after drinking a cocktail that Lucy handed her. The major is a friend of the deceased's family and moves into their home to help. Lucy feels constricted in town, but she and the major meet often to discuss the case. When another member of the family jumps to his death after drinking another laced concoction, the two friends from Kurland St. Mary begin researching poisons and motives. Missing rubies and college secrets seem unrelated at first but add to the multifaceted picture. Excellent historical detail, delightfully flawed lead characters, and the doings of the season make for entertaining reading. M. C. Beaton fans will enjoy this series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)