Cloaked in the shadows at a midnight masquerade, a killer lies in wait. Dancers waltz to and fro—completely unaware of the danger lurking in their midst.
Paris 1888
Mira Blayse had always dreamed of going to Paris, but she never imagined a murderer would lead her to the City of Light. Reunited with Byron, the two of them delve into the heart of Parisian society, determined to ensure that justice is served, no matter the cost.
Yet, as they uncover the intricate web of deception woven by the Order of Circe and their operatives, Mira finds herself ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
With tensions mounting and secrets unraveling on every side, the key to unlocking the truth lies in the identity of one of Circe’s leaders—the enigmatic Number Three. But in a world of false faces and hidden agendas, can Mira uncover the truth before it’s too late?
Natalie Brianne's love of writing might be traced back to an old Rainbow Macintosh Laptop she received for her 8th birthday. Perhaps it came from years of storytelling and the discipline of wonder. Or maybe, she was born to write and didn’t realize it until a book sprung out of her fingertips somewhere between a house in Pleasant Grove, Utah and a bus on its way to Edinburgh, Scotland.
She received her degree in Interdisciplinary Humanities from BYU. While she could have studied English or Creative Writing, she opted to learn more about culture, distant lands, and people in hopes of writing better stories. Much of her first book, Constantine Capers: The Pennington Perplexity was written when she lived at 27 Palace Court, London, walking the streets as if she were her characters.
While her interests in writing spread across genres, you can always expect her work to be imaginative, clean, and clever.
Spoilers alert! The book starts with Byron and Mira writing letters (Byron being in Paris) and that got me hooked from the start. I love that the author didn't wait seven books into the series for them to court. I also love that there is progression regarding Byron's amnesia because it could have been very frustrating! The relationship is well done, and yes they want to be close, to kiss, and it's delightful💕 Another thing I really like is that the mystery is easy enough to follow but still manages to surprise me immensely in his resolution. Again, a very well-written book with interesting characters, so much that I kept saying "one more chapter...ok just one more..." Until I finished the whole thing! Oops! I hope to read most Contantine Capers adventures soon, this is a very fun series.
Whoo whoo, the third book in the Constantine Capers series, which sets up the detective Byron Constantine heading to Paris to chase down Alexander Durant, a member of the evil organisation Circe, with Mira hoping to join Byron and help out.
I think I liked this book because we finally get the identity of one of the big bads who has been teased throughout the series. From the jump I suspected him, and in this book, I caught the clues the author was sprinkling about, so that’s always fun. Mira is continuing to not be complacent and sit on the sidelines, even when that may get her into trouble, but in her defence, she always puts her mind to it to suss out a way to save herself.
I also liked the beginning with the letters between the couple, where they start off formal and polite and then quickly become more intimate in address and language. That’s a weakness of mine in writing; I find it so sweet!!
What I didn’t like so much is it seemed like there was more of a distance between Byron and Mira in this one than in the other two. They were separated in the beginning because of Byron’s investigation and Mira recuperating from the injury received in the last book, but then when they joined up, they were hampered by the presence of a chaperone. The author may have tried to make that scenario provide a sense of yearning and wistfulness, but it didn’t really work for me. It just seemed like they were more apart than together, and when together, they were forced to be stilted because everyone was keeping a close eye on them.
I’m still happily following this series! I gave this book 3.5, but I think I’ll round up rather than down.
I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the third book in Natalie Brianne’s Constantine Capers series, and to fully enjoy it, I recommend reading the series in order. The historical mystery, steeped in Sherlockian flair, continues to captivate with clever plotting, lively characters, and a budding romance between the dynamic sleuthing duo. I received an advance review copy for free, and I’m voluntarily sharing my thoughts.
Mira Blayse has always longed to travel, and she finally gets her chance as she follows Byron Constantine to the continent in their search for operatives of the Order of Circe. Accompanied by her uncle and godfather—both traveling on business—they uncover unexpected secrets along the way.
As they edge closer to their goal, danger looms for Mira, and Byron must spring into action once more to save her. The author skillfully concealed the identity of the “charger,” making the reveal both surprising and satisfying.
I adore the dynamic partnership of Mira and Byron! Their commitment to unraveling mysteries and their growing romance were a delight to read. I’m thrilled the author plans to continue the series, as I can’t wait to see what’s next for this engaging pair.
Natalie Brianne is a new-to-me author, but she brings wonderful flair and finesse to this Victorian mystery series. If you love fast-paced mysteries with intrigue, compelling characters, sharp sleuthing, and a touch of romance, this series is a must-read. I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment of Constantine Capers!
Called the villain in the middle of the last book. Overall I find the series a little bit uneven. The interesting premise of the first has largely evaporated with only mediocre writing left. The series has been free on kindle unlimited, which is largely why I have stuck with it.
Given the unique plot of the book I really wanted to like the book more than I did.
With the previous books, I found the writing to be good, but this one felt a little jerky at times. Also Mira doing something foolish and then blaming herself over the whole book, got real old real quick.
Agreed that she is not a detective, but she uses her mind to get out of the situations she created herself and I didn't like that. Also, the whole chaperone thing got too much. I understand the propriety thing but it was too repetitive.
The person I suspected since book 1 was the person they found out, but it took too long. The author tried to divert the suspicion but that fell flat when the detective didn't take into account all the details but Mira did.
Somehow I was hoping that Byron getting his memory back, would make him sharper, but it seems it's just the opposite.
Not sure if I will be continuing the series, since I am unable to see a character growth and there are too many plot holes to ignore.
2.5/5 for the book.
I received an advance copy of the book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As with the last two, no, she wouldn’t have been allowed to do most of the things she did. I love a female character that frees herself. But why was it necessary so often? The actual bad guy was obvious by the second book. As a result, the dramatic reveal was rather flat. Who do they fight now? It will be interesting to find out.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I want to start off by saying that this is not a poorly written book. It is a very well written book. That being said, this just wasn't a book that I could like for some reason. I had suspicions about someone. Those suspicions turned out to be right. But the behavior of one of the characters after the mystery gets solved is just… unsatisfying? They keep making mistakes trying to argue for their side of things when it would be smarter to just stay quiet. I also think the reveal took too long, at least for me. The book was well written and the mystery I was given to solve was compelling enough but I kept waiting for another mystery to pop up and become the main mystery. I can't help but feel like the author solved this mystery too soon. Like… It feels like she wanted there to be one mystery per book and then maybe an overarching mystery for the series to help bind the books together. And even if that wasn't the intention I feel like having one more book of the "overarching" mystery would have been really beneficial. Rule of three, you know? So as much as it pains me to say it, for whatever reason I just couldn't enjoy this one. Again, this was very well-written for the most part and I don't necessarily regret reading it, because the mystery was very good. I just feel kind of unsatisfied with the last ten percent/thirty-ish pages or so. Very good book before all that though. 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4.
OMG!!!! I finished this in a day and I was absolutely breathless at the end. This is such a good series, that is so different from other books. I love how each book follows on and how open Mira and Byron are. The mystery in book 3 is brilliant, and I love getting a gut feel about characters and whether I trust them or not.
If you enjoy Victorian mysteries this is definitely a brilliant series to read.
Absolutely fantastic! This is the 3rd book in the Constantine Capers series, and has become one of my favorite series to read. The characters are charming, the mystery is on point, and the story is enjoyable to read.
I am already looking forward to the next installment from this author.
I highly recommend this series to anyone!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A wonderful story continuing a relationship between its main characters and the continuing mystery of the first 2 books in the series. I would recommend reading this book after the ones that precede it--There Comes a Midnight Hour picks up where the second book ends.
*I received this book as an ARC, and this is my honest review.
Three books in, and I am thoroughly enjoying the Constantine Capers series! 'There Comes a Midnight Hour' transports the story to Paris, offering a fresh backdrop while holding onto the heart of what I’ve loved since the beginning—engaging characters, a touch of romance, and a mystery that weaves both short-term puzzles and a slowly unraveling long-term arc.
The immediate chase to catch an elusive murderer provides fast-paced adventure, while the shadowy Circe network continues to deepen the overarching mystery. Two particularly compelling villains raise the stakes, and even when I could guess some of the clues, the twists and action kept my heart racing.
On the character side, I love how Byron and Mira’s relationship continues to develop. With much of Byron’s memory restored, their dynamic feels more grounded as they navigate what it means to court while still working side by side in dangerous circumstances. Uncle Cyrus also stood out in this book—his softening nature and glimpses into his backstory added richness and depth to the cast.
As a side note, I appreciated the continued presence of Walker and Liza. Their relationship is a small thread here, but it adds sweetness and another layer of connection among the characters.
Special thanks to BookSirens for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I love the dynamic sleuthing duo of Mira Blayse and Byron Constantine! As the two continue their search for an unstable killer and member of the secret criminal organization, Circe, I was totally a part of their investigation. I loved the search for clues and the people and places they encounter. Pages were turning at a high rate of speed for me.
Things to love: the masquerade ball the catacombs danger correspondence continued courtship plot twists
I highly recommend reading this third book in the series but do so in order. There is a lot of backstory you will need to know in order to follow the story. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! This is a book that lovers of Sherlock Holmes or historical mysteries will want to add to their collection.
I received a complimentary copy of the book through BookSirens. All opinions expressed are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.
I was looking forward to reading this book, but I was slightly disappointed. First, I didn't realize this was the third book in the series when I decided to read it. I'm the type of person who is big on reading books in a series in order. Most authors do okay filling in the past in later books, but not all. This author did a pretty good job, but I still felt like I was missing something and couldn't get into the book because of it. I powered through and overall I liked it fine. I might have liked it better if I had read the first two books, but I'm not sure. Honestly, it was well-written and the mystery was good. So, I gave it an extra star because I don't feel like I should give a lower rating because I didn't pay attention that it was the third book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The first book was very promising. I thought I’d found a new series that was as fun as smart as Veronica Speedwell’s. The second one was already a huge step down. How come that Mira was tricked so easily? Isn’t supposed to be very smart? She doesn’t things that are completely out of character compared to the first book. All the blushes and shyness are gone. She meets an bachelor alone at 1 am… so many things are wrong. The third book is just awful… Byron lost all of his power of deduction when he got his memory back. I knew who the Charger was at the end of the first book… What a pity! I didn’t have great expectations since there were free with Kindle unlimited but this is just too bad. The premises of this series were fantastic but they didn’t live further of the first book. I’m not going to read any other books from it for sure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A well crafted novel with an interesting young female who through her dead family (parents died in 'dramatic' past) and her guardian becomes involved in crimes linked to a mystical hidden cabal.
The story starts off slowly with and exchange of tender letters between Myra and Byron an investigator trying to track down the Circe group of criminals. As I had not read the first books in the series it took me some time to get the feeling for the story - when I did I was delighted to follow Myra's trip with her uncle to Paris in a Zeppelin and how the mystery slowly unravels - what a denouement - this book is a must read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the third installment in the Constantine capers series and it starts where we left off in the second book, so I would suggest to not read this as a stand alone story.
As usual, the plot is well written and rich in details and twists.
Up until the very end I was not sure who the charger was as the field was quite muddled, but what a surprise!
We also get to have some insight in Cyrus' past and the way he met the Professor.
Can't wait for the next book to see what is going to happen with Circe!
I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.
Natalie Anderson is a fresh and compelling author, as again demonstrated in her 3rd book in the Constantine Capers series “There Comes a Midnight Hour”. For this - latest offering - the setting of the intrigue moves to the Continent -- but the strong female protagonist and ever more interesting story line in this unique series remains unchanged. If you have not yet read “The Pennington Perplexity” and “Flashes of Memory” I highly recommend all three books in this series. Wonderfully developed characters and engaging mysteries make The Constantine Capers a series well worth your time.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
How thankful am I to live in modern times! No touching, no holding hands. To steal a quick peck on the cheek when the chaperone is not looking… and doing everything in a dress with a corset!
A great third installment of the adventures of Mira and Byron. The plot thickens and you have your own suspicions.
I struggled a bit in the beginning of the book and then new mysteries start to unfold and the tempo quickens.
Looking forward to the next book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I love when I come across a series of books that draws you in and surprises you at the same time. This series has done that for me as we ll as being an easy read, a stroyline that has flowed and characters that can be related to. This one was more about Mira rather than the detective but that in no way detracted from what was happening. I look forward to reading the 4th installation and seeing where this unlikley duo takes us.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I’d give 6,000 stars if I could! This one was SO good! The adventure! I had suspicions up the wazoo and couldn’t wait to see how things turned out! Byron and Mira were of course my favorite! I just ate up all of their scenes. 🥰 Was that enough exclamation points? No? Oh, well here you go then. Loved it!!!!!!!!!!😉
The story was not as enjoyable as in the start of the series as I felt it didn’t really emphasize the relationship building between Mira and Byron as much as I would have liked. The chaperone may have influenced that. The Order of Circe and its lead player did add some interesting moments. I liked the letter writing at the beginning as the two main characters were separated. I also liked how Mira got herself out of jams.
Oh the beginning of this book with the letters, adorable!!!
Constantine Capers continue to keep me interested with its flawed but likable characters, Circe, murder plots and the detetective work. This cannot be read as a standalone, as the romance, Byron's memory loss / recovery and Circes existence and villiany is developed over each book.
Book three is as amazing as the prior stories and picks up where it left off in book two. This isn't a stand alone series, so my strongest recommendation is to begin with book one. If on the other hand you have been reading right along, don't miss out on this one. Mystery is captivating, holds your attention until the end and has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
This got better the further along I went. Intense stuff and a very creative setting.
I’m not gonna lie, some of Mira’s “lines” if you will to the bad guy are a little cheesy and cringe to me. Her character in general seems to get herself in more trouble than necessary. Why she feels the need to accompany every mission I don’t understand.
I adore this series so much! The author had me hooked from the first paragraph. I hope there will willbbe more books as I am waiting with abated breath for the next one. Great writing and character development.
I have read the three books. It is still in the back of my mind that Myra boy friend is the leader of this story. Even though he is FBI agent. Also this could continue if you choose. nlpearson1010@gmail.com
Once again a good solid story in this series. This one included a big reveal, unfortunately I had already worked it out so I found this reveal and book to be a bit more heartbreaking rather than astonishing.
I have loved the series and the couple’s interactions. They are a special duo of detectives - falling in love, and so respectful of each other. They are a great pair. Fun story
I love this series because it has the right combination. An extremely smart detective with memory issues a girl who anybody would think is helpless but she is nothing of the sort. I believe it has the right amount of mystery and personal narrative.