What The Critics Said

'This entertaining series set in 1805...is historical mystery at its most effective. The author manages to create a period ambience from her sound knowledge of the era, making the right sort of underpinning for the adventures and romance. In keeping with the sort of gothic tales so beloved of the times, there is an involved plot containing ghosts, a secret room, people vanishing, mysterious visitors and the inevitable old sins that continue to cast long shadows. The romance is there, but nicely incidental and underplayed in what never stops being a mystery novel. I read quite a number of novels set in this period, and I continue to be impressed by this author’s ability to nicely sidestep the usual pitfalls many historical novelists tumble into. If you are looking for a quality historical crime series to get stuck into, then you have just found it.'

Historical Novels Review

'There is something delightfully gothic about Ms Dean’s tales of Dido Kent and her investigations. Throw in ghosts, secret rooms, the sins of the past and at least one body and you have a good mystery to read far into the night. Add in a little romance and a good underpinning of period knowledge and you have a very well rounded novel that Jane Austen herself might have enjoyed, not to mention Georgette Heyer...Highly recommended.'

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