Description
Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott has a secret. Overlooked and underestimated by all who meet her, the wallflower daughter of Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch has a sharp intelligence and keen powers of observation. Traits that make her perfect to uncover society crimes – those whose wealthy victims have their pride and reputation at stake.
Unnoticed amongst the ballrooms of grand houses, Mary uncovers stolen jewellery, missing money, and saves reputations. When Mary meets Colonel Walter Trefusis, an unlikely alliance is formed as the two work together. And soon Tre will see that between diamond thefts and scandal there is more to this wallflower than meets the eye.
Review
I absolutely flew through this book, as I knew I would having thoroughly enjoyed the first in the series!
The characters are engaging, the pacing brilliant, and whilst set in the past it is still written in a way that you can enter the mindset and truly place yourself in the shoes of Lady Mary and Colonel Trefusis.
I loved the nods to the previous book, which was about Lady Mary’s sister Lady Margaret, but very much enjoyed that both books could be read as stand alones too.
I enjoyed both the crime solving and the romance arcs, they worked really well together. The continuing character progression of Charlotte, Duchess of Buccleuch, made my heart full…how she is now a bit more introspective and aware of both her daughters needs and her own. That women can be more than wives and mothers if they wish to be.
Spoiler Alert:
I really enjoyed that both the main characters had reservations about their romance, they had their own interests and pursuits, and weren’t necessarily going to immediately ‘leave’ their lives for each other. This gives a refreshing take on the restrictions posed by society, status, and sex at the time, when everyone was expected to play by the rules and follow suit. It shows the dilemma of women, being in control of their father and then their husband, but wanting to be their own person and not play the role set out for them.
I would recommend this book to history lovers such as myself, and those that like mysteries and romance…there is something for them all here!
