A Disappearance in Drury Lane

Captain Lacey #8

by Ashley Gardner

Winter 1818

As Captain Gabriel Lacey prepares to leave for his upcoming wedding, he's interrupted by his former neighbor, Marianne Simmons, concerned about an actress friend of hers who's gone missing. Lacey agrees to help look for the actress, little realizing that the search will bring him up against dangerous men who think nothing of abduction and blackmail, or indeed of sending incendiary devices to the innocent.

Lacey's compassion tells him to help the actress who is in true danger, but his personal life is changing, and his time for investigation is frequently and frustratingly interrupted. He is also commanded to assist Bow Street in bringing down James Denis, a criminal with whom Lacey now has complicated ties, or risk hanging with him.

The search for the actress takes Lacey from the assembly rooms of the upper classes to behind the scenes at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, where he finds darkness in all corners. Lacey's life and honor are constantly challenged as his circumstances change, and he realizes he can follow no code but his own.

Book 8 in the Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries. This is a full-length novel of 80,000 words, twenty-four chapters.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Regency, Fiction, British Literature

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 20, 2013

About the author

Ashley Gardner is the pseudonym for NY Times bestselling and award-winning author Jennifer Ashley and nationally bestselling and award-winning author Allyson James. Her award-winning Captain Lacey Regency mysteries have garnered top reviews and an enthusiastic following. These books are now available as digital editions. More about the series can be found at http://www.gardnermysteries.com

Reviews

[Ashley Gardner]

Book 8 in the Capt. Lacey Regency mysteries. It's out! (September 20, 2013.) This book is available from all e-booksellers (Nook, Kobo, Smashwords etc) and in print. Amazon e-: http://www.amazon.com/Disappearance-C... Print: http://www.amazon.com/Disappearance-D...

[Ingie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review written March 25, 2017

4 Stars - Once again a cozy nice Captain Lacey mystery

Part #8

This was as always great audiobook joy. Eight hours narrated by the very best James Gillies. Can't but like these books.

Bookblurb: "December, 1818: As Captain Gabriel Lacey prepares for his upcoming wedding..."

The series, author / pen-name, my reviews:

• There are so far 12 (soon 13) fullenght Captain Gabriel Lacey novels. Historical crime whodunit's, set a few years after the Napoleon war, with a new mystery case to investigate in every book-part.

• Our main character Captain Gabriel Lacey is veteran of the Peninsular War in Regency era England. A proud man with a big heart of good family without any meens. He needs both money and love and has an itching bad leg wound.

• Ashley Gardner is a pseudonym (or the opposite) for Jennifer Ashley. I seems to like most books and series by her pen - romances or not.

• My reviews (all 4 stars) so far:
★★★★☆ - #1-The Hanover Square Affair
★★★★☆ - #2-A Regimental Murder
★★★★☆ - #3-The Glass House
★★★★☆ - #4-The Sudbury School Murders
★★★★☆ - #4.x-The Necklace Affair and Other Stories
★★★★☆ - #5-A Body in Berkeley Square
★★★★☆ - #7-A Death in Norfolk



Married at last and with his daughter back. A better more exclusive home but still all interesting old "friends" from all of London's corners. Great and heartwarming to see our Captain in a new much better position and so very happy. — Longing for the next part published as audiobook.

I LIKE - my favorite mystery solving man

[Grisette · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Another Lacey completed, and this one was kind of seasonally appropriate too.

I enjoyed the beginning, Lacey felt fresh and the story direction interesting. Then, I snoozed a bit as the plot veered towards some mundane happenings. My interest picked again at the middle point (I did not see that twist coming!) and held good to the end. However, the motives of the culprits felt a bit underwhelming imho. Not a bad Lacey, but I needed less uneven pacing. So it's a 3 GR stars for me.

Looks like some of the events in this book will continue in the next book, and I will be there for it!

[Katie Reus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great addition to this world.

[Zain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Married!

Captain Lacey is getting married! But before he is able to enjoy his honeymoon, and the visit of his daughter, Gabriella, he is waylaid by Miss Marianne Simmons, into helping her find a friend.

Abigail Collins, the famous London theatre star is missing! Although Lacey is concerned and wishes to find her, he is being pulled into many directions.

Even the law-breaker, James Denis is wishing for a slice of him.

[D.A. Bale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacey and Donata are finally married, but their honeymoon is cut short when Lacey is dragged back to London to face the magistrate himself. We're introduced to a cut-throat Bow Street Runner who will do anything to take down James Denis - and will blackmail and frame Lacey in order to do it.

I personally couldn't stand the new guy, but we've got ourselves a new antagonist in the form of a Bow Street Runner and his underhanded tactics. Felicity also threw me here, and I'm not quite sure I like her very much (not sure if I ever really did). Marianne makes somewhat ridiculous demands on Lacey as well, and right on the eve of his wedding. Grenville makes a complete bear of himself by breaking off his acquaintance with Marianne and Lacey - and once again, Lacey gets caught in the crossfires of the two lovers. It almost felt like a trip back to high school at times, as characters I usually enjoy got on my last nerves almost. The mystery rather took a backseat too, which was a bit frustrating.

In the past couple of books, I've also been noticing a rather disturbing trend of editing - or really, the lack thereof. This novel especially needs a heavy hand of an editor for very silly mistakes and duplications.

Which is why I'm downgrading my usual ratings for this series to a 3 1/2 star.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Disappearance in Drury Lane was another plodding book in the Captain Lacey series. This was another skimmer as the plot felt as slow and leaden as quicksand.

This time the Medusa, err, Marianne slithers into Gabriel’s sphere, on the eve of his wedding, to selfishly demand he investigate the disappearance of another actress. I wanted Gabriel to knock her in the head with his cane. Then after learning that Marianne slept with a friend’s husband, resulting in begetting her half wit son, demonstrated what a despicable strum pet she is at heart.

The female characters are mostly abysmal, especially Marianne and Felicity. Despite their sordid sense of independence, making a living on one’s back is as much a type servitude as emptying chamber pots. I found Gabriella, Lacey’s recently found daughter to be a tiresome chit. I wanted her to return to France and stay there.

James Denis is such an intriguing character; he is the antithesis of the silly dandy that Grenville in devolving into.

Thankfully the series gets better when the author sloughs off some of the unpalatable side characters and let allows Gabriel and Donata shine.

[Marianne Boutet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not like Marianne much in this book. She was a whiny, egotistical witch who insisted that our hero look for her friend who disappeared MONTHS ago, never mind that Gabriel and Donata are getting married in just a few days. Captain Lacey was exasperated for most of the book, as was I, with everyone except Donata (thank heavens they DO get married). Even Grenville is out of step.

And I did NOT like the new Bow Street detective. At all. (Saving grace for the story: neither did anyone else!) How DARE he arrest Captain Lacey!

[Lorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Lacey gets hitched, and meets a new enemy in the form of an obsessed Bow Street Runner.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good story

[Mel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even worse than the last book in the series. Ridiculous!!

[OLT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this Captain Lacey Regency mystery series by versatile author Jennifer Ashley began a decade ago with the publication of The Hanover Square Affair (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries) in 2003, the real time of the series is less than 2 years, with the first taking place in 1816 London and this particular one taking place in early 1818.

And although this can be read as a standalone, I think it's better to read about Lacey from the beginning. The main characters and their relationships are continually evolving and you only get the sense of this through starting at the beginning. The first 3 novels are now available in Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries Volume One and the second 3 in Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries Volume Two. The seventh installment, which takes place just before this new novel, is A Death in Norfolk (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries) and is only available for now separately. I devour these mysteries. Reading one is better than chowing down on a Snickers bar and is way less fattening.

Captain Lacey is a 40-something ex-military man of good birth but impoverished. He was tortured during the Wars and left with an injured leg that requires the use of a walking stick to help get around. Every book has our poor but noble captain solving a mystery and meeting many good and bad characters along the way. Recurring characters of the series are socially prominent upper class friend Lucius Grenville; Bow Street runner Pomeroy, who served with Lacey in the Peninsular Wars; Marianne Simmons, B-list struggling actress who at one point lived in the apartment upstairs from Lacey's; upper-class outspoken beautiful Lady Breckenridge; Colonel Brandon, Lacey's former commander, and Brandon's wife Louisa; the mysterious James Denis, powerful underworld character, and many more.

As you read the books, these people become almost like old friends. I think I'm even developing a very strange crush on the not-so-nice underworld Denis and I find myself worrying about that lovely man Grenville and his relationship with Marianne, wishing she would be more forthcoming to him about her past (and more forthcoming to us readers because we don't know anything either).

This latest entry has Marianne enlisting Lacey's help to find her actress friend (a famous A-list stage star), who seems to have disappeared. Lacey is reluctant at first because his wedding is in just a few days but he somehow manages to begin the investigation, get to the wedding on time, and continue with the investigations during his honeymoon. As usual, once he starts looking into things, it's like opening up a can of worms.

I'm never disappointed in the flow of these mysteries and this one is no different. The story flew by and the whodunit was hard for me to guess. Not that I'm that great at solving mysteries but Ashley put enough red herrings in to give me an excuse not to feel bad about my lack of crime-solving abilities. And Ashley does her best to have dialogue, behavior and actions fit into the time period so there's no teeth-grinding over anachronisms.

This is not my favorite mystery of the series thus far but I enjoyed it more for the main characters and how their lives are changing. If you haven't read any Captain Lacey books but are a historical mystery fan, these are pretty good. Not quite as good as C.S. Harris' Sebastian St. Cyr series or Kate Ross's Kestral books, but they are a satisfying, very entertaining read.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Sentence: Marianne Simmons came to me on a cold December day when I was packing away my old life in order to begin my new.

While Captain Gabriel Lacey is preparing for his wedding to the lovely Donata, his former neighbor, actress Marianne Simmons, asks him to look for a fellow actress who is missing. This is not a simple request, as there are very dangerous men involved, as well as criminal James Denis, which whom Lacey has an uncomfortable connection.

Gardner’s voice, both in dialogue and text, is reflective of the period. The historical information incorporated within the story brings it to life; i.e., that different theaters were licensed for different types of performances; the spoken word and dramas versus operas or musicals; and the slave trade laws of the period. We also learn the schedule of staying out late and not rising until noon that is the life of the wealthy entitled. The descriptions put us right at Lacey’s side…”A thin dusting of snow coated the ground to either side of the wide, mile-long drive to Pembroke Court. The drive ended in front of the large manor, it’s bricks golden even n the weak winter sunshine.”

It is the characters, however, that really bring the book to life. We gain insight into Lacey’s childhood and life with his father, as well as an explanation as to why he’s marrying Donata; a woman much higher in rank and wealth. Donata is an excellent character. She is a widow, with a son who is heir to a title and estate. She both emotionally supports Lacey and stands up to him.

Lacey is surrounded by interesting characters. Marianne, who once stole candles and food from his rooms, is now mistress to his very wealthy friend. Felicity is a woman of mixed blood. James Denis is very dangerous, yet fascinating. Lacey’s daughter Gabriella, is someone of whom he only recently learned and met.

“A Disappearance in Drury Lane” is a very good read with things tied up in a way that is clever, yet not contrived. It is a series I’m glad to have found, and to know that it will continue.

A DISAPPEARANCE IN DRURY LANE (Hist-Capt. Gabriel Lacey-England-1818) – VG
Gardner, Ashley – 8th in series
JA AG Publishing, 2013

[Inas. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Took me more than one month to read thorgh quarantine,after this book ,i don't think i will read any other book for Ashley Gardner again .

Nothing in this book makes sense.

The case,Hero ,his realtion ship , events , characters, nothing makes sense .

What i hated the most 2 things , Marianne and her disrespectful behaviour towards her benefactor,and the criminals .many things missing , many events are not related to each other . At the beginning an actress disappear , through investigation Lacey got beaten from a thug who eventually had nothing with the disappearance,and he got irritated from lacey why he is searching for her ( though this thug doesn't know where she is ) ,this is one of many things with no reason .

The culprits themselves has no relation to anything and no one would be able to connect the story .

Book is so long and could be finished within 25 pages rather than 99 pages . Waste of money and time

[Cynthia Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Gabriel Lacey is trying to balance a missing person case he has assumed for Marianne while getting married and being visited by his daughter. We learn a little more about Marianne this time round. I like how the character of his wife, Donata and his daughter Gabriella are developing. Its great to see how he sees them with love yet open to their personalities which are counter the norm. I hope the author does a little more with Donata's child as I would like to see that relationship develop too.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read, but missing the strong character development of the other books.

Also, I've noted a distressing trend to pop the mystery solution out of thin air. Near the end of the book, the hero is walking around frustrated, with no idea what the solution is, when suddenly it appears to him full blown. That's not the way the world works most of the time, and not challenging to the reader.

[Diana Quincy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really a composite rating for the entire series. I love Captain Lacey and will read every new adventure that Ashley Gardner writes for him.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only okay, this story felt a little forced and disjointed. Maybe I’ve finally reached my limit.

[Ruby Bibi · Rating 5 out of 5]

-In this latest mystery with Captain Gabriel Lacey, Lacey is soon to be married to Lady Donata Breckenridge. While emptying his quarters on Grimpen Lane, Marianne Simmons approaches him. She needs his help. Because he is busy packing his things from the apartment, he tries to avoid getting involved in any new endeavor. Marianne is insistent, though, and Lacey finally acquiesces.
-There is a famous actress that is a friend of Marianne, and who has gone missing. Though she is believed to have gone away temporarily, she is now nowhere to be found. Lacey goes to a nearby theatre, of which the actress, Abigail Collins, was a part. He meets some people acquainted with her to start his investigation, but upon leaving to go back to his quarters, meets a "game girl", Felicity, whom he had helped in the past. While she is speaking with him, he is set upon by several thugs, and he tries to fight his way out, but the attack was too sudden and brutal.
-Lacey wakes to find himself tied to a bed frame. His body aches and is filled with bruises. His face is swollen from being repeatedly hit. The man who orchestrated the attacks on him forcefully questions Lacey to see why he's trying to find the actress and to discover what he's found out. Lacey says nothing, but is given several kicks for his silence. Felicity is in the room with him, and it was her who his attacker used to keep him off guard. She fears this man, but she helps Lacey out and goes with him to the house of James Denis, as Lacey needs to be someplace where he knows that no additional harm will come to him.
-Next day, Lacey goes to the country home of Donata, where the wedding will take place. The wedding goes through, but the mystery remains, and then involves Grenville, Lacey and even his now wife, Donata, who encourages him to solve the mystery.
-Very good and puzzling, as each person in the group contributes in their own way to solve the whereabouts of the actress, while even uncovering a plot to cause her death. Danger comes to Lacey, as several times, he almost loses his life, except for his quick thinking. It's a mystery to the end, and ingeniously solved.
-Extremely enjoyable as all of the novels are in this series.

[Viccy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Gabriel Lacey is getting married. He has finally consented to marry Lady Breckenridge, who has been his paramour for years. He has always been skittish since she outranks in society by such a large scale. His neighbor and lover for his best friend arrives at his door asking for his help in finding her friend who has disappeared from Drury Lane, where she is a well-known actress. As Lacy begins to investigate a body turns up at his former lodgings and he is arrested for murder. Having friend in high places is a good thing because he is able to stay out of Newgate and continue his investigation. Lacey moves between the underworld and the ballrooms of high society in Bath with ease. He is ruled only by his own sense of honor. This is a good Regency series that ranks with C.S. Harris' series. Well-researched with some entertaining characters.

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marianne wants Lacey to find her missing actress friend right now; but he’s busy as the wedding is tomorrow, and it is typical that she has left it for six months, but it is all so urgent now. She gives him almost no information, no help and as it is, he gets beaten up and kidnapped, and shows up bruised for the ceremony.

888

I am fairly sure that the author is not quite sure what to do with Marianne and Grenville. [it would cost Grenville everything he has spent decades acquiring to have a real relationship with her, and he cannot do it; not really. There is no happy ending to this. If she was happy with what she has now, she’d do less complaining about it. ]

Marianne has always been such a flip flop of a character, so she’s true to form, I guess. But I seem to prefer the titles she is absent from.

4 stars

So far this year, my library saved me A$2,146.85

[Ann Noell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another exciting adventure with Captain Lacey - I do love this series and do not know why it has taken me so long to return to it!

Lacey and Donata are just days away from their wedding, but that does not stop Captain Lacey from finding himself in the middle of a another mystery.

The plot takes some really unexpected twists and turns. Accused of murder, people trying to kill him and Spendlove, a nasty man trying to take him down for his involvement with James Denis.

Of course Captain Lacey solves the mystery and finds the true murderer, but Spendlove, the despicable man now hates Lacey as much as he hates Denis. I guess I am a bit of a villain because I am looking forward to James Denis taking care of the nasty Mr. Spendlove!

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a baffling mystery of a missing actress and the lengths family will go to protect those they love.
A new nemesis emerges in Captain Lacy's retinue. A Mr. SpendLove--that can't be his real name-a bow street runner who wants to Hang Mr. Denis. and everyone he perceives is in the way of his goal. I wonder what Denis did to SpendLove that drives this obsession. Knowing Denis... Lacy continues to use Denis for information in a kind of mutual Devil you know way. Amazingly enough Grenville saves Denis's life this time. This is a fun series, lovely woven plots.

[Suzette Kunz · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the day before Lacey's wedding, Marianne asks him to help find a missing actress. Lacey pursues the case throughout his wedding and honeymoon. I will say that Marianne is one character where I think it would benefit to have an omniscient narrator and get into her head and thoughts, because she acts so mean and demanding all of the time. I want to feel sympathy for her, but we're never really given insight into her past and motivation--other than the one fact from her past.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Number 8 in the Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries. This one totally kept me enthralled and confused until the very end. It never ceases to amaze me to see how Ashley has so many threads going this way and that and finally coming to close at the end of the book. You need to really pay close attention to all of the players and what they are doing and who they know! It’s just masterful ❤️😍

[Laurla2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

-3.5 stars.
not my favorite in the series. i didn't like that he got kidnapped, beaten, and bruised the day before his wedding. marianne waited 6 months to get worried about her missing friend, she could have waited 2 more days until AFTER his wedding.
i didn't like spendlove, but he's such an ass we're clearly not supposed to.
and the whodunit comes out of right field, like wtf?

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started strong and then we weirdly circled issues I thought were more or less settled for the "group". The mystery was interesting but the pacing really interrupted my overall enjoyment of it... I thought we could have gotten read of all the silly Marianne and Grenville drama and the tighter story would have made for a more entertaining read.

[Julie Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Historical Series

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment in the Captain Lacey series. Lacey is strong yet vulnerable man set in a tumultuous time period. The characters are complex and their actions believable. Solving the mystery is not easy but at the end believable.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Gabriel Lacey is preparing to leave for his upcoming wedding. His friend and neighbour, Marianne Simmons implores to locate a missing actress who is also a dear friend of Marianne's. Lacey agrees to help look for the actress.

This is the eight installment in this series.

[Cindie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series continues to get better and better. This one is not as dark as the previous one, but every bit as enticing to read. I grow more fond of Captain Lacey with each book. And even fonder of Donata and Gabriella