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Penrose and Pyke’s wedding dream turns to ashes when the local women’s refuge goes up in flames.

Grace Penrose is used to protesters at Lavender House, but she never expected them to set the refuge on fire, especially not on her wedding day. Watching Charlie Pyke disappear into the inferno was definitely not on her mother’s carefully orchestrated wedding plan.

The discovery of a woman’s body in the smouldering ruins rouses Grace and Charlie’s detective instincts. With marital bliss on their minds, an investigation is the last thing they need. But how can they ignore a possible murder?

The ‘Penrose & Pyke Mysteries’ are a series of heart-warming, pulse-racing historical mysteries, set during a remarkable period of social upheaval in 1890s New Zealand.

277 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2024

138 people are currently reading
41 people want to read

About the author

Rose Pascoe

18 books37 followers
Rose Pascoe writes historical mysteries with a dash of romance, when she isn’t plotting real-life adventures. She lives in beautiful New Zealand, land of beaches and mountains, where long walks provide the perfect conditions for dreaming up plots and fickle weather provides the incentive to sit down and actually write the darn things. After a career in health, justice and social research, her passion is for stories set against a backdrop of social revolution. Her heroines are ordinary women, who meet the challenges thrown at them with determination, ingenuity, courage, and humour.

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5 stars
120 (63%)
4 stars
56 (29%)
3 stars
12 (6%)
2 stars
2 (1%)
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
26 reviews2 followers
November 23, 2024
Another Innovative Mystery

in Murder Ignited, Charlie and Grace's wedding day arrives only to be delayed by a friend in labor then news that Lavender House is on fire!

This fast-paced story is filled with murders, plot twists, red herrings and a baffling locked room crime.

Suffice it to say, the Penrose Pike clans are more than up to solving the crimes. A great story and a pages turned mystery that I couldn't put down. Can't wait for the next book in Decembe.
116 reviews
September 28, 2025
Another very engaging book in this continuing series. Just one nitpick... I may have missed it but I'm not sure how the killer knew which window to aim for. LOL, if anyone sees that answer, maybe let me know. Otherwise, this was great fun with enough 'threat' to be suspenceful and enough of our favourite characters to be delightful. The mystery was sufficiently challenging to remain intriguing until the end.
238 reviews5 followers
July 30, 2024
I love the intertwining of romance, murder and history. Great read.
838 reviews
November 14, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyable mystery. It was well plotted and paced, although I did manage to figure out whodunit, kind of. Loved the New Zealand setting and am already looking forward to learning more about the country in future books. Recommended.
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178 reviews1 follower
May 16, 2025
I really like the characters and the mystery, but the author needs a good proofreader
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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