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A Lady Arianna Regency Mystery #9
The Price of Paradise
A gripping Regency tale of greed, temptation, and the deadly dance between truth and lies.
London, 1817: For Arianna and Saybrook, a rare interlude of peace at their country estate with their young son has been a much-needed respite from their undercover missions for the British government. But when an old friend arrives in London as part of an American diplomatic mission and requests their help, they are drawn back into danger.
Asked to advise on a volatile political issue that threatens the balance of power in the New World, Arianna and Saybrook are soon entangled in a web of secrets and betrayal. At its center is a charismatic British war hero turned adventurer who is seeking government support in creating a new country in the Caribbean—a paradise on earth which he claims offer wildly profitable investment opportunities.
But when a reclusive gadfly is murdered, the intrigue turns deadly. Clues emerge, loyalties fracture, and the truth proves far more dangerous than they imagined. With enemies closing in and consequences echoing across continents, Arianna and Saybrook must unmask a cunning villain—before the search for answers makes them the next targets.
Perfect for fans of historical mystery and strong female protagonists.
London, 1817: For Arianna and Saybrook, a rare interlude of peace at their country estate with their young son has been a much-needed respite from their undercover missions for the British government. But when an old friend arrives in London as part of an American diplomatic mission and requests their help, they are drawn back into danger.
Asked to advise on a volatile political issue that threatens the balance of power in the New World, Arianna and Saybrook are soon entangled in a web of secrets and betrayal. At its center is a charismatic British war hero turned adventurer who is seeking government support in creating a new country in the Caribbean—a paradise on earth which he claims offer wildly profitable investment opportunities.
But when a reclusive gadfly is murdered, the intrigue turns deadly. Clues emerge, loyalties fracture, and the truth proves far more dangerous than they imagined. With enemies closing in and consequences echoing across continents, Arianna and Saybrook must unmask a cunning villain—before the search for answers makes them the next targets.
Perfect for fans of historical mystery and strong female protagonists.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2026
About the author
Andrea Penrose
25 books2,011 followersAndrea Penrose is the USA Today bestselling author of Regency-era historical fiction, including the acclaimed Wrexford & Sloane mystery series, as well as Regency romances written under the names Cara Elliott and Andrea Pickens. Published internationally in ten languages, she is a three-time RITA Award finalist and the recipient of numerous writing awards, including two Daphne Du Maurier Awards for Historical Mystery and two Gold Leaf Awards.
A graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Art and an M.F.A. in Graphic Design, Andrea fell in love with Regency England after reading Pride and Prejudice and has maintained a fascination with the era’s swirling silks and radical new ideas throughout her writing career. She lives in Connecticut and blogs with a community of historical fiction authors at WordWenches.com. She also can be found at AndreaPenrose.com and on Instagram @AndreaPenroseBooks.
A graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Art and an M.F.A. in Graphic Design, Andrea fell in love with Regency England after reading Pride and Prejudice and has maintained a fascination with the era’s swirling silks and radical new ideas throughout her writing career. She lives in Connecticut and blogs with a community of historical fiction authors at WordWenches.com. She also can be found at AndreaPenrose.com and on Instagram @AndreaPenroseBooks.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 27, 2026
Good but needs some linguistic editing...
The author has a marvelous turn of phrase and the Wrexford and Sloan series is well edited. However, Ariana frequently suffers from phrases "out of time" for the period or even gutter cant that weren't used by the class she is depicting. The stories are well developed, but a bit more editing to the linguistic detail would make ready less "off-putting" and more enjoyable.
The author has a marvelous turn of phrase and the Wrexford and Sloan series is well edited. However, Ariana frequently suffers from phrases "out of time" for the period or even gutter cant that weren't used by the class she is depicting. The stories are well developed, but a bit more editing to the linguistic detail would make ready less "off-putting" and more enjoyable.
Displaying 1 of 1 review