October 26, 2020
Wilde’s spirited fourth Regency mystery (after 2019’s And Dangerous to Know) takes Rosalind Thorne, who offers society women discreet investigations, to England’s fen country to help plan her friend Louisa Winterbourne’s wedding. Louisa’s titled cousin, the Duke of Casselmaine, who was once Rosalind’s suitor, promptly renews his suit, but Rosalind isn’t sure she wants the constraints of a high-society marriage. As Rosalind vacillates, the Winterbournes’ neighbor persuades her to investigate the recent death of her brother, William Corbyn, the victim of an apparent shooting accident. Rosalind comes to suspect foul play. William was an investor in Casselmaine’s ambitious efforts to drain the marshy land around their properties; did problems with the project’s funding give Casselmaine a motive for murder? His reclusive mother drops disturbing hints about his past, and a key witness has disappeared from the district, complicating Rosalind’s task. Despite an unwieldy conclusion, Wilde does a good job balancing accurate period detail with a look at such matters as the difference between attraction and compatibility, and the weight of family obligations. Lovers of Regency mysteries and smart female sleuths will be eager for more. Agent: Lucienne Diver, Knight Agency.