The Glass House

Captain Lacey #3

by Ashley Gardner

It's Captain Lacey's duty to unravel the mysteries of Regency England.

The Glass House is a place where London's high society can indulge their vices. When one of its regulars is found floating in the Thames, Captain Lacey demands justice, uncovering jealousy and murder--while also confronting some secrets of his own.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Regency, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 7, 2004

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

[Ingie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written December 25, 2015

3.8 Stars - Nothing especially grand or fancy but very enjoyable, moderately exciting, and always well made

Book #3

I'm a Captain Lacey fan by now and it was great to listening to a new adventure with these characters stumbling over a new murder case.

**tipp tapp, tipp tapp...**

# (Yesterday 24th Dec.) ~ It's Christmas Eve (the DAY up here) and I'm on my way to big family Christmas Dinner. Listening to the second half of this audiobook this morning was a pretty good preparing for a lot of traditional ham, herring, salmon, meatballs, Santa Clause, a bunch of family relatives —more unhealthy food, cakes, chocolate, mulled wine, candy— and maybe also a nice xmas gift or two (..tried to be be a nice girl this year also).

# (One day later 25th Dec.) ~ Jippie Yay! Santa gave me a pile of very fine gifts (including four old fashioned jam jars filled with candy that probably should be eaten as soon as possible).

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London, January 1817

Our hero, the limping, often moody but always very brave, former cavalry officer Captain Gabriel Lacey, nowadays a Amateur Sleuth, ....

« ... is summoned to the banks of the Thames to identify the body of a young woman. When Lacey looks at the pretty, dead young woman, cut down too soon, he vows to find her murderer. ... »

“You are bloody stubborn and too damned proud, Lacey.”
“I know that. Plenty have been happy to tell me so.”

Time for questioning for clues, wondering about oddly suspect behavior and of course meet some mysterious people from both the highest society, their staff and ordinary street people. Our curious Captain is, as always, together with his very good friend the famous (top gentleman of society) Lucius Grenville, running around (an aching old war-wounded leg or not) in an 1810:s winter-cold, quite cruel and naughty, but in the end, believable London.

This The Glass House adventure was as quite often, in the good spirit of saving some unfortunate beautiful women's honor and dignity, partly Lacey's specialty, and the puzzle was like usually quite impossible to foresee. No peculiarities but nicely done. ~ I ('course) like best to follow our main character's own development and balling with private life intricacies. I still live with the hopeful hope that Lacey will get his since years dear Louisa (unfortunately married to Colonel Brandon) some day in the future. But who knows? I cross my...

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The series, author's pen-name, my reviews
There are 10 novels with Captain Lacey, the dashing goodlooking hero, so far. Historical crime investigations whodunnit books. 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:

★★★★☆ - #1-The Hanover Square Affair
★★★★☆ - #2-A Regimental Murder )

Once again a 8 hours excellent theatrical narration
I truly like James Gillies narration style, it fit perfect to male voiced mysteries in a bit light and old-fashioned historical genre. Gillies sounds grumpy like our bighearted gorgeous, but often angry or depressed, hero. Gillies' women voices are maybe a bit silly and cheesy but all in all feels he as good enough narrator.

‘I could not call after her. I could not beg her to stay. I could only stand there, my hands curling and uncurling, while the woman I cared for most in the world walked out of my life.’

My third time with the limping brave mystery solving Captain Lacey two hundred years ago and I like. Looking forward to start book part #4-The Sudbury School Murders. Our Captain will leave London for a position at a friend's acquaintance, as a secretary at the Sudbury School in Berkshire, a school for sons of the wealthiest merchants and bankers in England. ~ Intriguing, I guess it will be a corpses or two (hopefully not a teen-boy though).

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I LIKE - and will return... soonish

[Merry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoy the writing of this series but the foundation for the mystery never really grabbed me. Why take on this murder..... I thought it the weak link the rest of the story was built upon. I understood the comparison with Lacey's wife, but it just didn't work for me. The side characters are well done, and I enjoyed how each is further developed as the story continues. I have my favorite, Lady Breckenridge! I did not guess how the mystery would play out. Look forward to continuing the series. 3.5*

[Heidi (can’t retire soon enough) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another solid entry but a little slower than the others. I still like Lacey but was more frustrated by his character flaws. He seemed all over the place emotionally. It may be because this book sets up a change of venue for the Captain.

As always, Grenville and (oddly) Denis are two of my favorite characters. It will be interesting to see if they have roles to play in the 4th installment... Onto the Berkshires!

(Reviewed 3/25/13)

[Grisette · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 stars

This is my 3rd Captain Lacey and AG's writing remains consistently good. There is something in the writing and pace of the storytelling that was riveting and kept me turning the pages even as I disliked the plot and the characters. That's magic à la AG/ JA!

Misc. remarks:

🎈 I am still not a big fan of sulky Lacey. However, in this instalment, he was less in self-pity mode, so the atmosphere was not as heavy as I felt in the previous 2 books. And this made the reading that much more agreeable.

🎈 As more is revealed about Lacey's past, he is depicted as a really flawed character. His damn hero complex makes him trigger happy, to the point of jumping systematically to the wrong conclusion - some kind of sleuth I tell you, lol 🧐! And we learned that in the past, he happened to beat his wife as he lost patience with her (since he preferred to reserve his gallantry to the hoe-tease-saint Louisa 🤨). Definitely a very dark grey hero that I have a hard time to root for. Yet, I am glad that he was honest on his faults in his self-reflection, even if he has not made much efforts to be a better man by reining his irritatingly temper and tiring nobility. Even if Lacey gets on my nerves, I do admire that AG has not painted him as the ultimate, spotless white knight.

🎈 About the puzzle: it was kind of interesting at the beginning but the reveal felt a bit lacking and wonky. I still cannot be made to believe that a slippery fall would yield such a big, ugly gash to the victim's head, nor that a lecherous man would try to rape a lady in his reception room. And why do most crimes since Book 1 must have a sexual connotation? It is starting to feel like L&A: SVU in Georgian times!

🎈 About the Brandons: the drama between Lacey and them is tiring. I want to shout to Lacey to stop caring for them. If I never see Louisa or her hubby again, it will not be a loss. I am not a fan of Lacey and his temper, but I was incensed every time Louisa, her husband or even Lacey himself would make as if the one who has most to ask for forgiveness for all that happened between them is Lacey. NOT SO!! The gist of their drama is that some years back, during the war, Brandon wanted to divorce Louisa because she cannot give him heirs. So she ran to Lacey to cry and complain, finding comfort in his embrace (not sex!). Brandon saw them and was over jealous, believing they betrayed him. Later, he purposefully sent Lacey to his death on a fake mission. Lacey survived after much suffering but with a permanent, painful injury to his leg. Tell me, really tell me, why should Lacey be the one to be asking forgiveness???!? 😡🤬 His friend and mentor sent him to die, leaving him physically scarred and the Brandons act as if he should set his pride aside and pretend all is good between them??!? Cut them off from your life Lacey, I say!!!

🎈 In this book, Lacey goes to many places intent to do something only to finally forget, or get distracted in another problem, and to finally do entirely another thing. Some kind of sleuth really 😒! Anyways, where that bothered me most was when Lacey went to confront Denis about buying his 300 guineas debt and not even discuss it by the end! Will that debt be mentioned again? Will it have an impact on the story?

As I mentioned above, this series is somewhat unique in my experience. I find the stories addictive in their essence while not rooting for the main characters and not always finding the puzzles well executed. So far, the writing quality trumps all other aspects and so I will definitely continue on with this series.

P.S. I have hope that Lacey will get to be a better lead. I want to believe that his new walking stick is an allegory for turning a new page, sentimental and otherwise.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as compelling a read as A Regimental Murder, but still very enjoyable. Lacey, being the big noble galoot that he is, feels compelled to investigate the death of a young woman fished out of the Thames.

Lacey is the male equivalent of the female MC who is completely unaware of her beauty. That can be annoying or amusing; Gardner makes it amusing. You can tell from the reactions of the women in Lacey's life that he's sex on legs, and I love the way Gardner has him casually toss in references to his broad shoulders, thick hair etc. Women want him and men want to be him; I suppose it's only a matter of time till a male character falls desperately in love with him à la Lord John Grey.

There's a nice cast of supporting characters, all easy to distinguish from one another. I prefer the allies to the villains; Gardner doesn't do villains as well as some, and Denis and Lady Jane don't come across as fully rounded to me. There are some little details here and there that don't come across as sufficiently Regency or English, which pulls me out of the story for a moment. But I dive back in because the stories are more enjoyable than most historical mysteries. Gardner really knows how to end a chapter with a cliffhanger.

[kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio version. Yes, my crush on Captain Lacey seems to be going strong with this 3rd book. These books are told in first person, generally not a favorite format for me, but works remarkably well here. Because it's told in first person, we never are told outright how handsome and charming he is. However, as the books go on, you definitely get the idea that Lacey is a good looking, capable man in his early 40s. Women seem to like him and he sometimes appears to not be exactly sure why. The romances do take a back seat to the mysteries but add a little something extra I think. All in all, makes for a great escape. I have already downloaded book #4.

[Catherine Vamianaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glass House is the third book of Captain Lacey. A young woman is found dead on the banks of river Thames. Lacey is about to investigate this murder and then, more deaths followed. Glass House is a very strange place.
In this place, society people could satisfy their desires. The dead girl had visited this place to meet her lover. But what happened? I enjoyed every page. Can't wait until the next one.
Extremely enjoyable

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are reading this review you have likely found Ashley Gardner's first two Captain Lacy mysteries, 'The Hanover Square Affair' and 'A Regimental Murder'. I have read both of those and now this, the third in the series. I enjoyed the previous two books and I did like this one as well but I didn't think it was quite as good as the other two.

Captain Gabriel Lacy is semi-retired from the 35th Light Dragoons,
unsatisfied and restless without battles to fight he finds himself occupied investigating another murder in London. This time the victim bears a strong resemblance to an acquaintance of his and he is asked to identify the body. The woman is not his friend but he finds himself compelled to offer his assistance on her behalf.

I like the character Captain Lacy and I understand the need for repetition when writing in a series. But I found the strained relationship and interactions between the Captain and Colonel Brandon and his wife a little redundant. I thought the tension and frustration between the two men added to the previous two stories but in this one I felt the animosity was over done and seemed to detract from the story.

The period details are very satisfying and I enjoy the relationships between the characters. This mystery was not as compelling to me as the previous two. I mostly enjoyed revisiting the familiar characters and learning more about them.

I hope the next books in this series are more dynamic and satisfying and that Gardner reveals more about Lacy's past. I'm hoping that his move to the country will mean we see less of the Brandons.
August 6, 2009

I just listened to the audio book version of this after having read the print version back in 2009. I'm finding that sometimes I like books more the second time around. While this wasn't a favorite in this series I did like it enough to give it three stars. I only gave it two stars the last time around.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This third installment, The Glass House, was such a sluggish read that I found myself skipping pages just to get to the end. Gabriel Lacey came across as nearly psychotic in his zeal to defend the victim, who was by accounts an adulterer and owner of a bawdy house that supplied young girls as sex workers to depraved men. I felt no sympathy for Amelia Chapman and felt she came to the bad end she so richly deserved.

Lacey's usual panting after the married Louisa Brandon was nauseating. His prior decision to blindly follow Brandon to war and subsequent neglect of his wife belies his rabid defense damsels in distress. When his nemesis, James Denis, offered Lacey the location of Lacey's estranged wife and daughter, in his stubborn pride he steadfastly refuses to look for his wife and child, yet he dashes about London offering protection and defending the honor of other men's wives.

Lacey's friend, Lucius Grenville, has been reduced to sniveling twerp by the malicious viper Marianne. I did warm up to Lady Breckinridge, she is curious, intelligent, honest, and brings out the better nature of Captain Lacey. The reveal of the murderer lackluster and I was relieved when the story came to an inglorious end.

[Hafiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series is getting better.
I hope Louisa Brandon disappears- she is so annoying.
$1.99 on Kindle

[Zain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although he’s warned off by the underworld criminal, James Denis, not to get involved in the activities of The Glass House, Captain Lacey investigates anyway, leading to his discovering the secrets and vices of upper class.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really enjoying getting caught up on this series. The characters are interesting and complex, as are the mysteries. Looking forward to at least 11 more of these!

[Lorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still enjoying the world and the character development in this series.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE GLASS HOUSE (Amateur Sleuth-England-1800's) - VG
Ashley Gardner - 3rd in series
Berkeley Prime Crime, 2004- Paperback
Captain Gabriel Lacey is called on by his former Sergeant, now a Bow Street Runner, to possibly identify the body of a woman pulled from the river. Although he does not know her, he is angered by her death and determined to find her killer. When her identity associates her with both society and The Glass House, a site of both gambling and illicit vices, Lacey discovers it is more than a simple case of murder.
*** Gardner does an excellent job of portraying Regency England. His character is the essence of honor, yet is by no means perfect and I find myself wanting to know more about him. There are excellent secondary characters who provide a strong sense of the period. The plot held me from beginning to end. This is a series which has improved with each book, and I find myself anxious to read the next installment.

[Shelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This third book in the Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries series has Gabriel Lacey combatting 19th Century London's high society in the pursuit of justice for the poor and downtrodden. Some interesting forays into the indulgences and vices of Regency London's movers and shakers were informative and a bit shocking. Happily, there were return appearances by some of my favorite minor characters from books 1 and 2; and I was relieved to see Lacey's character with less psychological paralysis than the previous installment. I will likely continue reading this series as a sort of breather between weightier books on my TBR list.

[Kat Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Glass House is book 3 of the Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries. A very fast paced mystery thriller with multi levels of intrigue with the indomitable Captain Lacey... a hero you can’t help but fall in love with. I am in awe of how how the many layers of these mysteries all come together. You may think you have it figured out, but you probably won’t until the last page or so. They are like a tapestry full of the clues and suppositions that all come together at the very end! Masterful regency mystery! 😍

[Nidofito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three books in and still pretty good. I don’t think it’s a very popular series, but it needs to be.

I did find it alarming that many gentleman in Lacey’s company reach boiling point in a blink of an eye. Very short-tempered, these men.

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m enjoying this series! The big reveal is kind of a let-down, but the action and character development is so entertaining that I thought this was a great read.

There’s a bit of a love triangle forming and I’m not sure who I hope Lacey winds up with. Or maybe Brandon will die and it a third love interest will enter the fray?

[Lavins · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

The story is bit too convoluted and goes in a lot of irrelevant directions.
it would have been nice to be a bit shorter.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think some of the things I've written are spoilers, but just in case...

I give it a rather solid 3. The reasons for this are,

The murder this time was (in my mind) easily seen through. When you start killing off suspects it is easy to ascertain who is the guilty party. I was also displeased at bringing in a (really rather weak) villainess to stand against Mr. Denis. If it is someone that he is scared of, then she should be more imposing than she was.

Thirdly the murdered character had such a stupid nickname, that was used more frequently than her real name, which made me want to throw the book across the room when I read it. In addition, the repeated mentions of the previous cases seemed awkward and unneeded. We get that this isn't his first investigation, get on with the story.

Finally, I was really annoyed by all the loose ends and rather quick changes in characters. While I was very happy to learn more about the vast and varied acquaintances of Lacey, I would've liked to have seen their interactions tied up a bit better. When you meet a character, become attached to them through learning their backstory and then only get a mention that they vaguely still exist, it's really quite frustrating. I'm not asking for a happily ever after, just a better idea of where they've ended up.

Maybe my curiosities here will be satisfied in the next book. But I'm unsure if I'll continue this series yet. I will probably continue on since the change of venue should be fresh, but we will see. I'm beginning to see Lacey more as an indecisive emo rather than a restless and wronged military gentleman. It makes him seem like a victim, and he is supposed to be stronger than that.

[D.A. Bale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm still a Lacey fan, but this third in the series was rather thin in plot. When a young woman is fished from the Thames, Lacey is called to identify the body because others fear it is his acquaintance, the young actress Marianne, who lives above his flat. Though Lacey is relieved to discover all is well with Marianne, he is now on the hunt for the murder of the young Mrs. Chapman. New characters enter the scene and beloved familiar rejoin as Lacey's investigation leads him to the horrors of the Glass House, a place even James Denis abhors. A tentative truce is called between the bitter enemies in order to bring down the Lady and her disgusting house of ill repute catering to the uber wealthy and connected of London society.

The thing that bothered me the most about this chapter in Lacey's life was the fact that the murder was so obvious up front. The manner in which Lacey "solved" the case wasn't really the result of his investigative prowess but more of a trite machination by Denis. It almost felt as if the author wasn't sure how to tie everything up, and thus the plot point was simply "revealed" to Lacey - it felt very contrived. It didn't ring true of the prior works and was quite a letdown to this fan.

However, I was glad to see the return of one particular Lady and am thrilled to see the direction of the potential storyline this offers in future.

This one only gets a three star for now.

[Milena Benini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uhm. This series is difficult to review. The writing is still decent, the history still well-researched. However, some elements are beginning to seriously bother me. Number one, the relationship of the protagonist, Captain Lacey, with his "arch-enemy" is getting more and more ridiculous. In book one, it was established that the bad-evil guy is bad-evil but would not stoop to procuring a lecher with an innocent miss -- and here Lacey jumps to the conclusion that a brothel with under-age girls must be his work. OK, so perhaps we're supposed to understand that he is unreasonable when it comes to the man, but we're simultaneously supposed to see him as this highly perceptive and very intelligent man, so it doesn't quite work.

Another thing is the gay-guy-is-the-culprit trope, which is getting repeated and, by now, frankly, simply smacks of homophobia. Also, women are still mostly villainous, except for the hero's love-interests. And yes, they are plural, since Lacey seems incapable of meeting a woman without desiring her, while all the time pining for his best friend's wife. So, honestly, pretty meh.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the third installment of this historical mystery series, Captain Gabriel Lacey investigates the murder of a young woman found floating dead in the Thames. His search for the killer leads him to the notorious Glass House, a place known to cater to every vice imaginable provided one his prepared to pay enormous sums for what one desires.

Deftly plotted mystery, engaging characters and an atmospheric setting - so far, I'm enjoying this series a lot. And with Lacey poised to leave London for a while at the end of the book, dare one hope we might not have to endure the infuriating Louisa and her asshole of a husband in the next one? I'd be very much on board with that...

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be frank, I wasn't captivated by this addition to the series. It didn't hold my interest like the first book. Overall, it was a good story and the characters were somewhat interesting but it lacked something. I found myself rewinding the book several times to grasp what was going on because my attention had wandered. I like Captain Lacey and I hope the next book is a bit better than this one. I will stick with the series and see how things go with upcoming books in the series.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come....

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 4 out of 5]

set in regency London. excellent characters, bleak plot...

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

**MINOR SPOILERS**
This book is the third in the Captain Lacey series. It can be read as a standalone but does include several characters introduced in the previous book and a few story lines that are ongoing related to the relationships between the different characters.
Gabriel (or Captain Lacey) gets involved with the mystery accidentally as he is asked to determine if a dead body belongs to his upstairs neighbor, Marianne. It does not, but he is asked to assist with solving the case and he agrees. His detective work, done with the help of his friend, Grenville, moves along at a pace.
Gabriel is a good, decent, honest man. He is also a bit hotheaded and impulsive.
Donata, Lady Breckinridge, reappears, I disliked her when she was introduced, and I still did not like her in this book. However, you can see the author working towards a relationship between her and Gabriel. She cheated on her husband in the last book. In this book, she appears at a party where people try “magic gas”, which gives them a high and she seems very familiar with it.
I liked Gabriel’s friend, Grenville. He is interesting and intelligent.
The mystery takes several different turns and has a few red herrings. There are multiple story lines. The pace and dialogue are good.
I liked the historical aspect of the book, and the author has clearly done a lot of research into a variety of topics from the time. The look into the justice system at the time was pretty grim (though there are certainly differences in how people of different income levels are treated even today).
I have read the first three books of the series, and I think that, overall, there are too many references to relationships or possible relationships for Gabriel. He has a great love and friendship for his former commander’s wife. He has attraction to several women or they are attracted to him. Some of the attraction is lust, some liking, some love or the possibility of it. I think there could have been less of it.
The book was told from Gabriel’s first person point of view.
Like the first book, the story ends with a sad tone. Gabriel has borne much.
I probably will not continue reading the series.

[Henriette · Rating 2 out of 5]

A while back, I bought a collection containing the first three books and some short stories. While I liked the first one, the second one wasn’t to my liking. Now I finished the third one for the sole reason that I wanted this book to be marked as read on my Kindle so that I can filter it out.

My criticism for the third book is practically the same as for the second one. Lacey is a very passive character whose investigating technique is accusing everybody of murder until one of the brakes down and confesses.

There are no likable characters in these books, and people behave very strangely. The book dives deeper into Lacey‘s relationship with Louisa. Who as it turns out, used Lacey in her revenge against her husband and now continually complains that the two no longer get along. So she is in a snit for most of the book, which spends way too much time in this nonsense, only to completely change her attitude when Lacey decides to take a job and leave London for a while.

The case isn’t much better. Lacey investigates the death of a random stranger. The wife of a barrister, who cheated on her husband with a noble, and tended to hide for weeks in a pleasure house, the titular Glass House, so that she could do what she wanted. To Lacey, she is a victim, and he wants to bring her justice. But even here, there are some inconsistencies. For example, in the beginning, Lacey rescues a child from the Glass House, who was about to be raped. Asked about the victim the girl tells him that she liked her because she allowed her to hide in her Appartement, which could be locked. However, later in the book, you find out that the victim had the kind of means to bring pressure to the owners that would have spared that kid and all like her. So this scene says nothing about her character as was intended.

I‘m just glad I finished the collection and can lay this ad Acta. I will never warm up to this series as the plots are mediocre and the characters unlikeable. I’d instead read the Sebastian St. Cyr novels.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Glass House by Ashley Gardner is the third book of the Captain Lacey mystery series set in Regency London. Captain Gabriel Lacey served in the Napoleonic Wars. He's depressed and moody, recovering from war injuries, back in London, just scraping by (the family fortune was squandered by his father's debts). His wealthy and powerful friend Grenville provides help occasionally (when Lacey's pride allows) as they work together to make inquiries and solve crimes. Lacey's former commanding officer Brandon is a hateful jerk, but Brandon's wife Louisa is Lacey's dearest beloved friend, so he tries to grin and bear the barbs from Brandon when he visits them.

A young woman's body is found on the banks of the Thames. Lacey is summoned to identify her, in case she is the woman who lives above his lodgings. She isn't Marianne, but he is touched by her look of innocence, and enraged she was murdered. He vows to find out who killed her.

Turns out she was not so innocent, and his investigation turns dangerous. He learns many secrets of high society members who frequent a gentlemen's club catering to vices, including child prostitutes.

The overall mood is grim and depressing, for London in general, and Lacey's financial, social & physical status in particular. Abundant period detail shows the vast dichotomy between daily lives of workers vs. members of the elite high society. Action moves along quickly, and Lacey makes interesting acquaintances, likely to reappear. In solving the crimes, he barely escapes with his life.

[A.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacey is asked to look at the body of a young woman dragged out of the Thames. He is worried that it may be his actress neighbour Marianne, but it is not. She is well dressed though and wearing a fancy ring, so robbery was not the motive.

His friend Grenville recognises the ring, and points him towards a young aristocrat who identifies her as his mistress, an ex-actress but now she is married to a boring barrister. Fascinated by the oddity of her life, Lacey gets drawn into the investigation, centred around the house of ill repute, the Glass House.

888

This one spent a bit of time milling about, repeating the seemingly unsolvable issue with the Brandons. He also gets himself into more trouble with more ladies... and with the series antagonist Mr Denis who would love him to investigate and get the Glass House shut down, as it is not owned by him.

Lacey's abrasive ways generally annoy people, but he is starting to gain some allies. Grenville has lent him a footman, ostensibly to train as a valet, but really to keep an eye on him.

I do wish he'd get over Louisa, though. And perhaps bother to find his own missing wife and daughter?

3 stars