Wow! Lady Emily has made it to her nineteenth case in this long running historical mystery series. While I have not read every one, I have enjoyed a number of them.
Here, I welcomed the time spent with the recurring characters. The plot is a dual time one with readers going from the early 20th century, to Roman Britain. It is one of those situations where readers have to trust the author and count on her ability to tie things together.
Who killed Victoria? Why did the King get involved? Will the case get solved (yes)? Find out fans of the author and maybe some new readers as well.
How it starts: Victoria Goldsborough was wearing white that evening, satin shimmering like pearls. (I was ready to read more!)
Kirkus Reviews observes “Plenty of motives and a surprise ending… [with] a bit of British Roman history woven into the mystery.”
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books for this title.
Pub date: 23 September 2025
Post first published on 2 January 2026
Description:
from the publisher
Lady Emily investigates the murder of a glamorous debutante in the next irresistible mystery of Tasha Alexander’s New York Times bestselling series.
London, 1907: When the Season’s most accomplished and elegant debutante, Victoria Goldsborough, collapses and dies at her engagement ball, the great and good of London Society prepare to mourn the tragic loss of an upstanding young woman. But all is not what it seems, and after a toxic beverage is revealed to be the cause of death, the king himself instructs Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves to unearth the truth.
Who would want to harm one of the most popular women of the year? Is it her fiancé with whom she had an unusually brief courtship; a rival for his affections bitter at being cast aside; her best friend who is almost certainly hiding a secret from Colin and Emily; a disappointed suitor with a hidden gambling habit; or a notorious jewel thief who has taken a priceless tiara from the Goldsborough home? When a second debutante succumbs to poison, the race is on to find a ruthless killer.
Emily and Colin’s investigation leads to a centuries old tomb in the center of London with a mysterious link to another death dating back to Roman times and the violent reign of Boudica, ancient Britain’s fearsome warrior queen. As the stakes rise and the clock ticks down, Emily must find the killer before they strike again.
About the Author:
Tasha Alexander is the author of the Lady Emily novels, a historical suspense series, as well as a novella and a stand-alone novel. She studied English literature and medieval history at the University of Notre Dame. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards and has been translated into more than a dozen languages
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 