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Wrexford & Sloane #4
Murder at Queen's Landing
The murder of a shipping clerk . . . the strange disappearance of trusted friends . . . rumors of corruption within the powerful East India Company . . . all add up to a dark mystery entangling Lady Charlotte Sloane and the Earl of Wrexford in a dangerous web of secrets and lies that will call into question how much they really know about the people they hold dear—and about each other . . .
When Lady Cordelia, a brilliant mathematician, and her brother, Lord Woodbridge, disappear from London, rumors swirl concerning fraudulent bank loans and a secret consortium engaged in an illicit—and highly profitable—trading scheme that threatens the entire British economy. The incriminating evidence mounts, but for Charlotte and Wrexford, it’s a question of loyalty and friendship. And so they begin a new investigation to clear the siblings’ names, uncover their whereabouts, and unravel the truth behind the whispers.
As they delve into the murky world of banking and international arbitrage, Charlotte and Wrexford also struggle to navigate their increasingly complex feelings for each other. But the clock is ticking—a cunning mastermind has emerged . . . along with some unexpected allies—and Charlotte and Wrexford must race to prevent disasters both economic and personal as they are forced into a dangerous match of wits in an attempt to beat the enemy at his own game.
When Lady Cordelia, a brilliant mathematician, and her brother, Lord Woodbridge, disappear from London, rumors swirl concerning fraudulent bank loans and a secret consortium engaged in an illicit—and highly profitable—trading scheme that threatens the entire British economy. The incriminating evidence mounts, but for Charlotte and Wrexford, it’s a question of loyalty and friendship. And so they begin a new investigation to clear the siblings’ names, uncover their whereabouts, and unravel the truth behind the whispers.
As they delve into the murky world of banking and international arbitrage, Charlotte and Wrexford also struggle to navigate their increasingly complex feelings for each other. But the clock is ticking—a cunning mastermind has emerged . . . along with some unexpected allies—and Charlotte and Wrexford must race to prevent disasters both economic and personal as they are forced into a dangerous match of wits in an attempt to beat the enemy at his own game.
362 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2020
969 people are currently reading
3248 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Penrose
21 books1,980 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 - 30 of 726 reviews
January 3, 2021
Murder at Queens Landing is the 4th installment in the Wrexford and Sloan Mystery series by Andrea Penrose, published by Kensington Books. The story is set in the early nineteenth century London and we get to follow Alexander Wrexford and Charlotte Sloan as they investigate the murder of an East India Company clerk who has gotten too close to a secret web of financial crime within the company and gets murdered to cover it up. As Charlotte secretly makes satirical drawings exposing hypocrisy and injustice among the rich and powerful, her life is in danger if the culprits find out who she is.
Main character Earl Alexander Wrexford seems to have a volatile temper. I was pleased to follow his development from a self-sufficient brusque person not caring if he puts himself in danger, into a man with a heart for family and friends.
Supporting character earl’s daughter and satirical cartoonist Charlotte Sloan, is a widow who has chosen to distance herself from Society to make a living fighting against hypocrisy and injustice by publishing satirical drawings. I found her an impressive and interesting character of her time, working to carve out a new life, while still living by all the rules. She is my favorite of this story.
This is the first book I have read by Andrea Penrose. It included plenty of hints to events in other books in the series, which made me want to add them to my TBR. I found this story read perfectly as a standalone mystery where nothing was as it seemed. I loved the Dickensian vibe I got from the parts about street urchins and flower girls working to survive on the streets of London. I particularly enjoyed how Charlotte had a heart for street children and took care of two orphan brothers.
The plot included descriptions of mathematical and technical inventions I have not read about before; which fascinated me.
The writing felt light and easy with very entertaining dialogue. The parts where Charlotte and Alexander interacted were my particular favorites. Their relationship developed while they tried to be professional and became confused feelings had grown when they were not looking.
I felt a surprised and impressed by how Wrexford and Sloan found who was “at the top of the food chain” of this complicated scheme and managed to beat the criminals at their own game.
If you enjoy a great historical murder mystery with conspiracy and a twist of technical inventions thrown in, this would be just the thing for you. Similar authors to explore might be Anna Lee Huber or Clara McKenna.
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions in this review are completely my own.
Conclusion: This is the exiting and satisfying 4th installment, where Wrexford and Sloan get to solve a murder meant to cover up financial crime within the East India Company where powerful and dangerous people are willing to do whatever it takes to build fortunes – including murder.
Rating: 4 stars / 5
Main reasons: engaging and entertaining plot, satisfying conclusion to series, enjoyable dialogue.
Main character Earl Alexander Wrexford seems to have a volatile temper. I was pleased to follow his development from a self-sufficient brusque person not caring if he puts himself in danger, into a man with a heart for family and friends.
Supporting character earl’s daughter and satirical cartoonist Charlotte Sloan, is a widow who has chosen to distance herself from Society to make a living fighting against hypocrisy and injustice by publishing satirical drawings. I found her an impressive and interesting character of her time, working to carve out a new life, while still living by all the rules. She is my favorite of this story.
This is the first book I have read by Andrea Penrose. It included plenty of hints to events in other books in the series, which made me want to add them to my TBR. I found this story read perfectly as a standalone mystery where nothing was as it seemed. I loved the Dickensian vibe I got from the parts about street urchins and flower girls working to survive on the streets of London. I particularly enjoyed how Charlotte had a heart for street children and took care of two orphan brothers.
The plot included descriptions of mathematical and technical inventions I have not read about before; which fascinated me.
The writing felt light and easy with very entertaining dialogue. The parts where Charlotte and Alexander interacted were my particular favorites. Their relationship developed while they tried to be professional and became confused feelings had grown when they were not looking.
I felt a surprised and impressed by how Wrexford and Sloan found who was “at the top of the food chain” of this complicated scheme and managed to beat the criminals at their own game.
If you enjoy a great historical murder mystery with conspiracy and a twist of technical inventions thrown in, this would be just the thing for you. Similar authors to explore might be Anna Lee Huber or Clara McKenna.
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions in this review are completely my own.
Conclusion: This is the exiting and satisfying 4th installment, where Wrexford and Sloan get to solve a murder meant to cover up financial crime within the East India Company where powerful and dangerous people are willing to do whatever it takes to build fortunes – including murder.
Rating: 4 stars / 5
Main reasons: engaging and entertaining plot, satisfying conclusion to series, enjoyable dialogue.
November 11, 2020
I've given this a C+ at AAR, so that's 3.5 stars
The fourth book in Andrea Penrose’s series of Regency-era mysteries featuring the Earl of Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane, Murder at Queen’s Landing once again finds our two amateur sleuths drawn into a murder investigation – this time, one that could have far-reaching consequences not just for themselves but for the entire nation. If you’ve read the earlier books in the series, you’ll already know exactly how the cynical, logical and scientifically-minded Earl of Wrexford became acquainted with Mrs. Charlotte Sloane (aka A.J. Quill, London’s premier satirical cartoonist) and the Weasles (two street urchins); if you haven’t then I’d suggest starting with Murder on Black Swan Lane, as this is a series in which the mysteries in each book are solved, but the relationship and character development are on-going.
The mystery kicks off when Wrexford is approached by Griffin, the Bow Street Runner with whom he and Charlotte have worked on previous investigations, and asked if the word Argentum means anything to him. He can’t think of anything, other than it being the Latin word for silver, but his curiosity is piqued when Griffin tells him that it was the final word uttered by a murder victim – a clerk with the East India Company. At the same time as Griffin is informing Wrexford of the crime, Charlotte is hearing about it from Skinny, a crossing sweeper and friend of her two wards, Hawk and Raven. She’s saddened by the news of course – any life lost to violence is a terrible thing – but doesn’t think it’s something she and Wrexford can help with.
A day or so later, Charlotte learns that her friend Lady Cordelia – a mathematical genius – and her brother the Earl of Woodbridge have suddenly left London without a word to anyone, and Griffin informs Wrexford that the murder victim was tangentially connected to Woodbridge through the his cousin David Mather, who is employed at Hoare’s bank, one of the city’s major financial institutions. It seems that Mather and Woodbridge had some recent business dealings, and although Griffin can’t find any connection between the disappearance of the earl and his sister and the murder, he can’t help being curious, especially as Lady Cordelia and Wrexford’s friend Kit Sheffield recently opened an account at Hoare’s for a newly formed company.
Tenuous these connections may be, but the more Charlotte and Wrexford ponder them, the more likely it seems that the murder at Queen’s Landing and the disappearances of Lady Cordelia and her brother are connected in some way. In the way that has become a hallmark of this series, Andrea Penrose incorporates elements of contemporary technological advancement and discovery into the story – in this case the development of mathematical machines and steam powered vehicles – and provides an obviously well-researched historical background. The workings of complex financial systems and how they were being exploited via a worldwide network of corrupt merchant banks and how it all related to the opium trade did, however, go over my head – and as that seemed to be the major impetus behind the mystery plot, it meant that I spent part of the book scratching my head trying to work out exactly why the villains were doing what they did.
I really enjoyed the earlier books in this series, but this one didn’t work as well, for a number of reasons. The mystery didn’t really grab me, and the set up in the first half of the book simply dragged. The premise is interesting, but as I’ve said above, the principal plot point is overly complex (which led to a lot of info-dumping and repetition) and unlike in the last book, where a personal connection with the investigation was quickly established and the stakes were clearly high, here, I never felt as though the stakes for any of the characters were as high as I was being told they were. This wasn’t helped by the fact that we don’t really know Lady Cordelia all that well – or her brother at all – and I found it difficult to become invested in their troubles as a result. And while the author does a really good job of throwing in the red herrings and concealing the identity of the villain right up until the reveal, that person’s motivations are so detached and unemotional that the mystery as a whole lacks any feeling of peril or excitement. Action scenes are eschewed in favour of discussions of what happened after the event, there’s a lot of repetition of thoughts and feelings (Charlotte worries that her re-joining the world of the ton will change her and Wrexford’s preference for logic over emotion is hammered home several times); plus having now reached book four in the series, Ms. Penrose falls into the trap that befalls many authors of series, namely that of too much exposition (and yet more info-dumping) concerning the characters. I know most authors do this, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying or repetitious for readers who have followed the series from the beginning.
The best part of the story is that which focuses on the undercurrent of attraction that’s been running between Charlotte and Wrexford since book one, and those readers who, like me, have been awaiting developments in their burgeoning romance will be pleased at the way things progress. But unfortunately, that can’t make up for the book’s deficiencies – an overly complex and ultimately unengaging mystery, uneven pacing, too much telling-and-not-showing and characterisation that seems to have remained largely static.
I dithered a bit over a final grade for Murder at Queen’s Landing because in spite of my reservations, once the pacing picks up in the second half it’s a relatively entertaining read. But I’m not sure I can recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who isn’t already following the series – and even then, I can only recommend it to those who have been following it and may want to pick it up for the sake of completeness. Nonetheless, I’ll be looking out for book five and hoping for a tighter mystery with higher stakes and a bit more action.
The fourth book in Andrea Penrose’s series of Regency-era mysteries featuring the Earl of Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane, Murder at Queen’s Landing once again finds our two amateur sleuths drawn into a murder investigation – this time, one that could have far-reaching consequences not just for themselves but for the entire nation. If you’ve read the earlier books in the series, you’ll already know exactly how the cynical, logical and scientifically-minded Earl of Wrexford became acquainted with Mrs. Charlotte Sloane (aka A.J. Quill, London’s premier satirical cartoonist) and the Weasles (two street urchins); if you haven’t then I’d suggest starting with Murder on Black Swan Lane, as this is a series in which the mysteries in each book are solved, but the relationship and character development are on-going.
The mystery kicks off when Wrexford is approached by Griffin, the Bow Street Runner with whom he and Charlotte have worked on previous investigations, and asked if the word Argentum means anything to him. He can’t think of anything, other than it being the Latin word for silver, but his curiosity is piqued when Griffin tells him that it was the final word uttered by a murder victim – a clerk with the East India Company. At the same time as Griffin is informing Wrexford of the crime, Charlotte is hearing about it from Skinny, a crossing sweeper and friend of her two wards, Hawk and Raven. She’s saddened by the news of course – any life lost to violence is a terrible thing – but doesn’t think it’s something she and Wrexford can help with.
A day or so later, Charlotte learns that her friend Lady Cordelia – a mathematical genius – and her brother the Earl of Woodbridge have suddenly left London without a word to anyone, and Griffin informs Wrexford that the murder victim was tangentially connected to Woodbridge through the his cousin David Mather, who is employed at Hoare’s bank, one of the city’s major financial institutions. It seems that Mather and Woodbridge had some recent business dealings, and although Griffin can’t find any connection between the disappearance of the earl and his sister and the murder, he can’t help being curious, especially as Lady Cordelia and Wrexford’s friend Kit Sheffield recently opened an account at Hoare’s for a newly formed company.
Tenuous these connections may be, but the more Charlotte and Wrexford ponder them, the more likely it seems that the murder at Queen’s Landing and the disappearances of Lady Cordelia and her brother are connected in some way. In the way that has become a hallmark of this series, Andrea Penrose incorporates elements of contemporary technological advancement and discovery into the story – in this case the development of mathematical machines and steam powered vehicles – and provides an obviously well-researched historical background. The workings of complex financial systems and how they were being exploited via a worldwide network of corrupt merchant banks and how it all related to the opium trade did, however, go over my head – and as that seemed to be the major impetus behind the mystery plot, it meant that I spent part of the book scratching my head trying to work out exactly why the villains were doing what they did.
I really enjoyed the earlier books in this series, but this one didn’t work as well, for a number of reasons. The mystery didn’t really grab me, and the set up in the first half of the book simply dragged. The premise is interesting, but as I’ve said above, the principal plot point is overly complex (which led to a lot of info-dumping and repetition) and unlike in the last book, where a personal connection with the investigation was quickly established and the stakes were clearly high, here, I never felt as though the stakes for any of the characters were as high as I was being told they were. This wasn’t helped by the fact that we don’t really know Lady Cordelia all that well – or her brother at all – and I found it difficult to become invested in their troubles as a result. And while the author does a really good job of throwing in the red herrings and concealing the identity of the villain right up until the reveal, that person’s motivations are so detached and unemotional that the mystery as a whole lacks any feeling of peril or excitement. Action scenes are eschewed in favour of discussions of what happened after the event, there’s a lot of repetition of thoughts and feelings (Charlotte worries that her re-joining the world of the ton will change her and Wrexford’s preference for logic over emotion is hammered home several times); plus having now reached book four in the series, Ms. Penrose falls into the trap that befalls many authors of series, namely that of too much exposition (and yet more info-dumping) concerning the characters. I know most authors do this, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying or repetitious for readers who have followed the series from the beginning.
The best part of the story is that which focuses on the undercurrent of attraction that’s been running between Charlotte and Wrexford since book one, and those readers who, like me, have been awaiting developments in their burgeoning romance will be pleased at the way things progress. But unfortunately, that can’t make up for the book’s deficiencies – an overly complex and ultimately unengaging mystery, uneven pacing, too much telling-and-not-showing and characterisation that seems to have remained largely static.
I dithered a bit over a final grade for Murder at Queen’s Landing because in spite of my reservations, once the pacing picks up in the second half it’s a relatively entertaining read. But I’m not sure I can recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who isn’t already following the series – and even then, I can only recommend it to those who have been following it and may want to pick it up for the sake of completeness. Nonetheless, I’ll be looking out for book five and hoping for a tighter mystery with higher stakes and a bit more action.
August 21, 2020
** I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! **
In Murder at Queen's Landing, Charlotte and Wrexford find themselves drawn into a murder investigation that could lead to dire consequences not only for their friends, but for the future of the British empire. Following Andrea Penrose's established pattern of incorporating contemporary intellectual advancements into the mystery du jour, the novel follows Charlotte and Wrexford as they attempt to reconcile complex mathematics, engineering, and principles of commerce in their pursuit of justice.
By the time I finished the third instalment in this series, I'd come to the conclusion that these books were not meant to be read back-to-back. That's not a criticism in itself; the formulaic nature of mystery novels can get tiresome after reading several of them in quick succession (as I discovered while burning through, like, six Sebastian St. Cyr books a month or so ago!). I was hoping that the break I'd taken from this series, and the books I'd read in the intervening time, would have refreshed me, but I struggled to enjoy Murder at Queen's Landing for many of the same reasons why I struggled to enjoy its predecessors.
Character-establishing moments, adjectives, and pieces of dialogue from previous books are recycled so often that there is little forward momentum in any of the characters' arcs and little distinction between characters' voices. Consider the point-of-view characters, Charlotte and Wrexford, both of whom are very limited in their narration and dialogue. For Charlotte, for example, everything always comes back to her distaste for the beau monde, her fear that it will change her (which really seems unfounded, as almost all of her friends are aristocrats who share her opinions and think highly of her and thus far she's never had to sacrifice her morals), her concern for Raven's and Hawk's futures, and her confused feelings for Wrexford. Beyond these worries, which are unchanged from the previous books, we really know very little about Charlotte's thoughts and motivations and desires, aside from rather simplistic and vague deliberations on good and evil. Wrexford suffers from a similar problem, though in his case he cycles between thinking about science (also simplistically and vaguely), his confused feelings for Charlotte, and his concern for his friends.
When it comes to secondary characters, we are reminded almost every time Griffin appears that he likes to coerce Wrexford into buying him expensive dinners. Sheffield always quips that he didn't sleep through every lecture at Oxford, or that he knows he's a fool. Tyler always nags Wrexford for being moody and mercurial (which... where are the receipts?). References such as these might be helpful for new readers and I wouldn't be bothered by them if they were only made when a character is first introduced. But frequent and almost identical references throughout the novel undermine development and complexity.
Similarly, there's a great deal of repetitive and circular dialogue in scenes which are not deliberately moving the story forward. We don't need to be reminded in every conversation that Wrexford prioritizes logical thinking, and we don't need it constantly explained to us that acting on unproven assumptions contradicts the scientific method. We don't need Charlotte and Wrexford to keep bringing to attention their "fundamental" difference in philosophy, i.e. logic vs intuition, in exactly the same way. It's jarring when multiple unconnected characters from different backgrounds employ the same figures of speech or cultural references. It's especially jarring when conversations consist of characters describing each other's personalities as though they're psychologists. I want to see them reacting authentically to each other, not listing attributes! I want them to evolve beyond archetypes! This contributes to a sense of stagnation that I also identified in the previous book. I like these characters; when they're not pontificating or repeating a thought for the tenth time they are extremely engaging; but I want them to be, consistently, more than impressions. Much of this could be improved with tighter editing. Excising the redundancies would leave much more room for the characters to grow, internally and interpersonally, in a more organic and complex way.
As for the mystery, I have to confess that it didn't really grab me. The intrigue didn't pick up until partway through, and though I was interested in the machinations of the East India Company, they was only included to contextualize the mystery, and I was disappointed that the author didn't take the chance to introduce any significant Indian or Chinese characters. The computing machine that Lady Cordelia was helping to improve was certainly interesting, but I found the link between it and the commerce element to be tenuous. I just didn't feel the tension that the characters were telegraphing; there wasn't enough of a personal connection for me. Cf. the previous book, Murder at Kensington Palace, which established a clear personal connection with the investigation and serious stakes. The initial murder is quickly overshadowed (and essentially forgotten) by the race to reveal the penumbral and wide-reaching schemes of the antagonist, because of the danger to Charlotte and Wrexford's friends. I never took that danger to be fatal, however: Woodbridge and Cordelia might be ruined, but I wasn't convinced their lives were at stake (and they never were, directly at least). And we don't know Woodbridge at all, and Cordelia very little; to elicit more than a detached interest in their struggle, the trajectory of the plot and the intense reactions and fears of the POV characters had to align, and I found them instead to be at odds. There needed to be either a more apparent, material danger to Woodbridge or Cordelia, or a better balance between the investigative and interpersonal elements of the story.
Overall, I think the slow start, the sheer volume of exposition--much of which reads as though it belongs in an undergraduate research paper--through dialogue, general emotional disconnect, and the ultimately dispassionate nature of the villain's motivations kept the mystery from seeming exciting or dangerous. I think the lack of urgency also comes down to the author's choice to omit crucial investigation and action scenes in favour of having the characters review what they learned/what happened post factum.
I didn't dislike this book. I didn't love it. I liked parts of it. Hawk and Raven remain my favourite characters, and even though Charlotte didn't get the chance to contribute much to the plot (and not at all as A.J. Quill, disappointingly) she made some nice progress with Alison. I would have liked a response to her brother's letter, but that seemed forgotten. I still think Sheffield and Cordelia should get together. I'll probably look for the next book when it's released and be able to enjoy it more knowing what to expect!
In Murder at Queen's Landing, Charlotte and Wrexford find themselves drawn into a murder investigation that could lead to dire consequences not only for their friends, but for the future of the British empire. Following Andrea Penrose's established pattern of incorporating contemporary intellectual advancements into the mystery du jour, the novel follows Charlotte and Wrexford as they attempt to reconcile complex mathematics, engineering, and principles of commerce in their pursuit of justice.
By the time I finished the third instalment in this series, I'd come to the conclusion that these books were not meant to be read back-to-back. That's not a criticism in itself; the formulaic nature of mystery novels can get tiresome after reading several of them in quick succession (as I discovered while burning through, like, six Sebastian St. Cyr books a month or so ago!). I was hoping that the break I'd taken from this series, and the books I'd read in the intervening time, would have refreshed me, but I struggled to enjoy Murder at Queen's Landing for many of the same reasons why I struggled to enjoy its predecessors.
Character-establishing moments, adjectives, and pieces of dialogue from previous books are recycled so often that there is little forward momentum in any of the characters' arcs and little distinction between characters' voices. Consider the point-of-view characters, Charlotte and Wrexford, both of whom are very limited in their narration and dialogue. For Charlotte, for example, everything always comes back to her distaste for the beau monde, her fear that it will change her (which really seems unfounded, as almost all of her friends are aristocrats who share her opinions and think highly of her and thus far she's never had to sacrifice her morals), her concern for Raven's and Hawk's futures, and her confused feelings for Wrexford. Beyond these worries, which are unchanged from the previous books, we really know very little about Charlotte's thoughts and motivations and desires, aside from rather simplistic and vague deliberations on good and evil. Wrexford suffers from a similar problem, though in his case he cycles between thinking about science (also simplistically and vaguely), his confused feelings for Charlotte, and his concern for his friends.
When it comes to secondary characters, we are reminded almost every time Griffin appears that he likes to coerce Wrexford into buying him expensive dinners. Sheffield always quips that he didn't sleep through every lecture at Oxford, or that he knows he's a fool. Tyler always nags Wrexford for being moody and mercurial (which... where are the receipts?). References such as these might be helpful for new readers and I wouldn't be bothered by them if they were only made when a character is first introduced. But frequent and almost identical references throughout the novel undermine development and complexity.
Similarly, there's a great deal of repetitive and circular dialogue in scenes which are not deliberately moving the story forward. We don't need to be reminded in every conversation that Wrexford prioritizes logical thinking, and we don't need it constantly explained to us that acting on unproven assumptions contradicts the scientific method. We don't need Charlotte and Wrexford to keep bringing to attention their "fundamental" difference in philosophy, i.e. logic vs intuition, in exactly the same way. It's jarring when multiple unconnected characters from different backgrounds employ the same figures of speech or cultural references. It's especially jarring when conversations consist of characters describing each other's personalities as though they're psychologists. I want to see them reacting authentically to each other, not listing attributes! I want them to evolve beyond archetypes! This contributes to a sense of stagnation that I also identified in the previous book. I like these characters; when they're not pontificating or repeating a thought for the tenth time they are extremely engaging; but I want them to be, consistently, more than impressions. Much of this could be improved with tighter editing. Excising the redundancies would leave much more room for the characters to grow, internally and interpersonally, in a more organic and complex way.
As for the mystery, I have to confess that it didn't really grab me. The intrigue didn't pick up until partway through, and though I was interested in the machinations of the East India Company, they was only included to contextualize the mystery, and I was disappointed that the author didn't take the chance to introduce any significant Indian or Chinese characters. The computing machine that Lady Cordelia was helping to improve was certainly interesting, but I found the link between it and the commerce element to be tenuous. I just didn't feel the tension that the characters were telegraphing; there wasn't enough of a personal connection for me. Cf. the previous book, Murder at Kensington Palace, which established a clear personal connection with the investigation and serious stakes. The initial murder is quickly overshadowed (and essentially forgotten) by the race to reveal the penumbral and wide-reaching schemes of the antagonist, because of the danger to Charlotte and Wrexford's friends. I never took that danger to be fatal, however: Woodbridge and Cordelia might be ruined, but I wasn't convinced their lives were at stake (and they never were, directly at least). And we don't know Woodbridge at all, and Cordelia very little; to elicit more than a detached interest in their struggle, the trajectory of the plot and the intense reactions and fears of the POV characters had to align, and I found them instead to be at odds. There needed to be either a more apparent, material danger to Woodbridge or Cordelia, or a better balance between the investigative and interpersonal elements of the story.
Overall, I think the slow start, the sheer volume of exposition--much of which reads as though it belongs in an undergraduate research paper--through dialogue, general emotional disconnect, and the ultimately dispassionate nature of the villain's motivations kept the mystery from seeming exciting or dangerous. I think the lack of urgency also comes down to the author's choice to omit crucial investigation and action scenes in favour of having the characters review what they learned/what happened post factum.
I didn't dislike this book. I didn't love it. I liked parts of it. Hawk and Raven remain my favourite characters, and even though Charlotte didn't get the chance to contribute much to the plot (and not at all as A.J. Quill, disappointingly) she made some nice progress with Alison. I would have liked a response to her brother's letter, but that seemed forgotten. I still think Sheffield and Cordelia should get together. I'll probably look for the next book when it's released and be able to enjoy it more knowing what to expect!
June 27, 2021
3.5 stars for the latest Wrexford/Sloane mystery., bumped up to 4 because I love the main characters.
I will admit to becoming confused at various points in this one. Financial skullduggery is not my strong suit. Nor was I fond of the way Wrexford and Lady Charlotte were so quick to assume the worst when their friends, Lady Cordelia and her brother Lord Stanhope, disappeared so suddenly.
Of course all is made right by the end, but it was a rocky journey.
This read like the final book in the series. I hope that it isn't, as I am fond of the characters and would like to see them again.
ETA 6/27/2021--Yay!! there is another book on its way.Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens
I will admit to becoming confused at various points in this one. Financial skullduggery is not my strong suit. Nor was I fond of the way Wrexford and Lady Charlotte were so quick to assume the worst when their friends, Lady Cordelia and her brother Lord Stanhope, disappeared so suddenly.
Of course all is made right by the end, but it was a rocky journey.
This read like the final book in the series. I hope that it isn't, as I am fond of the characters and would like to see them again.
ETA 6/27/2021--Yay!! there is another book on its way.Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens
December 31, 2020
The writing in this book is so tragic, as a coping mechanism I started to keep a tally of all the ridiculousness. The number of times “dastards” is said? 24! “Beau monde”? 19! “Havey-cavey”? 8! “Argle-bargle”, “habble-babble”, and “quiffy-niffy” also make appearances. Also, at least four characters speak in Latin phrases. That’s three too many. And just about everyone in this book is now expertly speaking in metaphors. All of this means that there isn’t a single unique character in this book. Everyone sounds like everyone else. Coupled with a boring plot, this is a dud.
May 3, 2021
A bit slow, this time.
But the mystery is still good.
And at last, Charlotte and Alexander is an item now! ❤️🥰😘
I also love what Wrexford’s plan for those street urchins, how kind and generous 😍☺️.
Book #5 won’t publish until September 🥴.
Oh well 😬.
❤️❤️❤️
But the mystery is still good.
And at last, Charlotte and Alexander is an item now! ❤️🥰😘
I also love what Wrexford’s plan for those street urchins, how kind and generous 😍☺️.
Book #5 won’t publish until September 🥴.
Oh well 😬.
❤️❤️❤️
September 12, 2020
Series: Wrexford & Sloane #4
Publication Date: 9/29/20
Number of Pages: 304
OOOOOOOOOH – an excellent addition to the series. We have a much less acerbic and more emotional Wrexford along with a softer Charlotte Sloane. Who would have thought it! I like it very well – as long as they don’t lose their edge. As always, the writing is excellent, the story is fast-paced, and the characters are fun, interesting, and fully developed. This case takes the whole cast of characters to keep each other safe.
A murder happens at the docks – Queens Landing – but it isn’t something in which Wrexford and Charlotte would normally become involved. They didn’t know the man, but his death was gruesome. Then, when Bow Street starts asking questions about Sheffield and two of their friends disappear … Is it all related? Was one (or more) of their friends involved in the death? If so, why would that be?
As they quietly begin to investigate, Wrexford and Charlotte realize just how dangerous this investigation might become – not just to them, but to their friends and family as well. They soon come to understand that the solution to this crime might shake the very foundations of the British economy and their foe is very, very powerful with far-reaching tentacles. Can they unmask this villain before he closes in on them?
Of course, I require a bit of romance along with my mysteries – and this story just made me smile. If you’ve read the previous books, you have long known that Wrexford and Charlotte love each other – they were just too stubborn to realize it themselves. Wrexford was thinking he was too cold and analytical for such frivolous feelings as love and Charlotte was terrified of love because of her previous experiences. It was wonderful to see them start to realize that love might not be such a bad thing.
I always love the Author’s Notes at the back of the book. She always tells us the historical facts about the tale she’s just told and the real circumstances upon which the details of the story are based. This author does intensive research and those Author’s Notes are almost as interesting as the book itself.
This is a wonderful adventure and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. The Weasels (Charlotte’s wards) are their normal delightful selves, Sheffield grows and matures, and we have a wonderful dog added to the story. I mean – it was a great read and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 9/29/20
Number of Pages: 304
OOOOOOOOOH – an excellent addition to the series. We have a much less acerbic and more emotional Wrexford along with a softer Charlotte Sloane. Who would have thought it! I like it very well – as long as they don’t lose their edge. As always, the writing is excellent, the story is fast-paced, and the characters are fun, interesting, and fully developed. This case takes the whole cast of characters to keep each other safe.
A murder happens at the docks – Queens Landing – but it isn’t something in which Wrexford and Charlotte would normally become involved. They didn’t know the man, but his death was gruesome. Then, when Bow Street starts asking questions about Sheffield and two of their friends disappear … Is it all related? Was one (or more) of their friends involved in the death? If so, why would that be?
As they quietly begin to investigate, Wrexford and Charlotte realize just how dangerous this investigation might become – not just to them, but to their friends and family as well. They soon come to understand that the solution to this crime might shake the very foundations of the British economy and their foe is very, very powerful with far-reaching tentacles. Can they unmask this villain before he closes in on them?
Of course, I require a bit of romance along with my mysteries – and this story just made me smile. If you’ve read the previous books, you have long known that Wrexford and Charlotte love each other – they were just too stubborn to realize it themselves. Wrexford was thinking he was too cold and analytical for such frivolous feelings as love and Charlotte was terrified of love because of her previous experiences. It was wonderful to see them start to realize that love might not be such a bad thing.
I always love the Author’s Notes at the back of the book. She always tells us the historical facts about the tale she’s just told and the real circumstances upon which the details of the story are based. This author does intensive research and those Author’s Notes are almost as interesting as the book itself.
This is a wonderful adventure and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. The Weasels (Charlotte’s wards) are their normal delightful selves, Sheffield grows and matures, and we have a wonderful dog added to the story. I mean – it was a great read and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 30, 2020
Matters of science and mystery!
A further step into the lives of Lady Charlotte Sloane and the Earl of Wrexford. This time murder plays a part and the pair find themselves tapping at the doors of the powerful East India company. The wonderful Weasles are growing and developing but still maintain there delightful urchin ways. Tyler, Wrexford's unconventional valet is still as acerbic as ever. Others are being added to their coterie, and I am charmed. Penrose dots her pages with well humored incidents, easing the tensions.
A clerk is murdered down by the docks, and almost at the same time Charlotte's friend, the brilliant mathematician Lady Cordelia, and her brother, Lord Woodbridge, disappear from London. Unusual! To all appearances the two aren't connected but as things move on that viewpoint changes. It appears Cordelia and Woodbridge might be in the thick of some nebulous unsavory circumstances. But what"
Charlotte and Wrexford's relationship edges towards something other than friendship.
The perfidy off the East India company introducing opium to China to open up trade is well documented and Penrose has used this to advantage in rather nail biting Regency thriller. As is the well researched background to trading based on international arbitrage. The invention of a computer like machine to help in trading and more, highlights the Achilles heel of new developments where good and evil use vie. I highly commend her closing author's notes for a clearer look at these issues.
Once more we're given a fabulous Sloane and Wrexford novel, where in Penrose's words, she's woven "an important development in Regency science/ technology as a main element in the mystery."
A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
A further step into the lives of Lady Charlotte Sloane and the Earl of Wrexford. This time murder plays a part and the pair find themselves tapping at the doors of the powerful East India company. The wonderful Weasles are growing and developing but still maintain there delightful urchin ways. Tyler, Wrexford's unconventional valet is still as acerbic as ever. Others are being added to their coterie, and I am charmed. Penrose dots her pages with well humored incidents, easing the tensions.
A clerk is murdered down by the docks, and almost at the same time Charlotte's friend, the brilliant mathematician Lady Cordelia, and her brother, Lord Woodbridge, disappear from London. Unusual! To all appearances the two aren't connected but as things move on that viewpoint changes. It appears Cordelia and Woodbridge might be in the thick of some nebulous unsavory circumstances. But what"
Charlotte and Wrexford's relationship edges towards something other than friendship.
The perfidy off the East India company introducing opium to China to open up trade is well documented and Penrose has used this to advantage in rather nail biting Regency thriller. As is the well researched background to trading based on international arbitrage. The invention of a computer like machine to help in trading and more, highlights the Achilles heel of new developments where good and evil use vie. I highly commend her closing author's notes for a clearer look at these issues.
Once more we're given a fabulous Sloane and Wrexford novel, where in Penrose's words, she's woven "an important development in Regency science/ technology as a main element in the mystery."
A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
July 24, 2020
After an initial slow start with a Murder at Queen's Landing, there was a large info dump of introducing characters. This would have been interesting if I hadn’t already read the previous three stories in this series. I cannot fault Ms. Penrose because this is what most writers do, but it was well over halfway in before things picked up speed. Before then, I found an overload of telling and not showing that caused me to struggle with the storyline.
Besides solving the murder, Lady Charlotte aka A.J. Quill or Magpie was contemplating what to tell her great-aunt Alison, Lady Peake, about her past. I was reminded of the importance of friendships at every chapter. The amount of history and fascination with math was strongly felt within the plot. And though there were musings from Wrex and Charlotte, I missed a chemistry.
A brief and interesting ending enticed me to look forward to the fifth story. I want a tighter mystery with more action, Wrex and Charlotte working side by side AND more vibes with affection and no more new characters. All in all, Murder at Queen's Landing earned three stars.
Thank you to Net Galley, Andrea Penrose and Kensington Publications for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Besides solving the murder, Lady Charlotte aka A.J. Quill or Magpie was contemplating what to tell her great-aunt Alison, Lady Peake, about her past. I was reminded of the importance of friendships at every chapter. The amount of history and fascination with math was strongly felt within the plot. And though there were musings from Wrex and Charlotte, I missed a chemistry.
A brief and interesting ending enticed me to look forward to the fifth story. I want a tighter mystery with more action, Wrex and Charlotte working side by side AND more vibes with affection and no more new characters. All in all, Murder at Queen's Landing earned three stars.
Thank you to Net Galley, Andrea Penrose and Kensington Publications for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2021
You don't know it, but mathematics and finance are not my thing!! When I read or when somebody tries to explain them to me my eyes just cross and my mind wanders to much more inetersting subjects! LOL
So maybe that was the reason why I didn't like this book as much as I liked the others in this series...
Financial manipulations were the core of the mystery!
There was too much information given for this that the other much more interesting parts suffered.
I enjoyed how the things were going with Wrexford and Charlotte and how Charlotte's aunt Alice was included. Also the Weasels and Tyler were great as usual.
I also liked how Sheffield was smitten with Lady Cordelia - it was fun! LOL
As for Lady Cordelia and her brother Lord Stanhope... they were just pale characters here. I found Stanhope to be just a stupid man who didn't deserve to be helped! He was just TSTL!
So, IMHO, the mystery was too much complicated (for me) and I didn't feel involved with neither the victim nor the villain. The villain seemed to me like a today's fincance sharks, who, as we all know, just get richer and richer and financial acumen and manipulations are not outlawed... sadly...
The victim, as I said, was just TSTL and I didn't feel his victim-ness... he felt like a poor investor who cries because he lost his money.
If not for the murders, this would not have been a huge crime... just extreme manipulation and probably treason or theft...
So it pains me but I'm giving it just 3 stars... and hoping the next will be much more interesting!
So maybe that was the reason why I didn't like this book as much as I liked the others in this series...
Financial manipulations were the core of the mystery!
There was too much information given for this that the other much more interesting parts suffered.
I enjoyed how the things were going with Wrexford and Charlotte and how Charlotte's aunt Alice was included. Also the Weasels and Tyler were great as usual.
I also liked how Sheffield was smitten with Lady Cordelia - it was fun! LOL
As for Lady Cordelia and her brother Lord Stanhope... they were just pale characters here. I found Stanhope to be just a stupid man who didn't deserve to be helped! He was just TSTL!
So, IMHO, the mystery was too much complicated (for me) and I didn't feel involved with neither the victim nor the villain. The villain seemed to me like a today's fincance sharks, who, as we all know, just get richer and richer and financial acumen and manipulations are not outlawed... sadly...
The victim, as I said, was just TSTL and I didn't feel his victim-ness... he felt like a poor investor who cries because he lost his money.
If not for the murders, this would not have been a huge crime... just extreme manipulation and probably treason or theft...
So it pains me but I'm giving it just 3 stars... and hoping the next will be much more interesting!
October 7, 2020
Oh the Weasels! Andrea Penrose’s Murder at Queen’s Landing (Wrexford & Sloane Mystery #4) is an unputdownable mystery. I have missed the characters of Lady Charlotte, Wrexford, McCellan, Tyler - all of them especially the Weasels. These characters get into such delicious and dangerous situations when investigating a murder. The author certainly did her homework for Murder at Queen’s Landing as early attempts of technology are incorporated into the plot, but the author also illustrates compassion, friendship, and family “ ..... had sent his private carriage to collect a ragged-taggle band of street urchins for a stay at his country estate.” as Wrexford and Sloane set their path for justice. I felt as though I was in Regency London with these beautifully written characters. And what is this? Wrexford and Sloane as they search for justice, they find - now, what is the other thing they discover? 5 stars.
June 29, 2020
Murder at Queen's Landing by Andrea Penrose was another enthralling mystery for me. I was pulled into the story from the first page and hated to put it down until the end.
Ms. Penrose's descriptive writing and meticulous research presented a story that involves deceit, blackmail, smuggling and multiple murders. The relationship between Lady Charlotte and the Earl of Wrexford has slowly progressed throughout the series which has given readers the opportunity to relate to both of them on a personal level. The Weasels, Raven and Hawk, are excellent support characters as they are unique and often add that touch of humor to lighten the drama. As the series has grown so have the secondary characters and they, too, have grown into individuals that I would enjoy meeting and spending time with as they contribute to the sleuthing. A intricate plot that is quickly paced with a few devilishly twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. Bottom line is that I love this series and look forward to each new release.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
Ms. Penrose's descriptive writing and meticulous research presented a story that involves deceit, blackmail, smuggling and multiple murders. The relationship between Lady Charlotte and the Earl of Wrexford has slowly progressed throughout the series which has given readers the opportunity to relate to both of them on a personal level. The Weasels, Raven and Hawk, are excellent support characters as they are unique and often add that touch of humor to lighten the drama. As the series has grown so have the secondary characters and they, too, have grown into individuals that I would enjoy meeting and spending time with as they contribute to the sleuthing. A intricate plot that is quickly paced with a few devilishly twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. Bottom line is that I love this series and look forward to each new release.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
February 4, 2022
This was... yeah, this was bad. Not that any in the series have been "good," but I think whatever tolerance I had for the painful dialogue, repetitive plots, and each-character-has-one-defining-personality-trait-and-that's-it-ness of it all is finally wearing out.
Please stop making me read the phrase havey-cavey with my own two eyes, I beg of you. (And having characters randomly spout Latin aphorisms in the middle of every conversation like that is A Thing That Real People Do/Did. And reusing the exact same character beats in what feels like every scene in every book. The list of annoyances just goes on and on...)
Please stop making me read the phrase havey-cavey with my own two eyes, I beg of you. (And having characters randomly spout Latin aphorisms in the middle of every conversation like that is A Thing That Real People Do/Did. And reusing the exact same character beats in what feels like every scene in every book. The list of annoyances just goes on and on...)
July 21, 2025
Interesting mystery with some interesting friends, glad to see more characters from the previous books and a growth in trust between every one. And a growth in the romance, but just barely. They do have a lot of "The answer is always love and family" which is weird and has been showing up in the past couple books, doesn't really fit with the characters but it's sweet.
I really like all the friends here and the family growth.
I really like all the friends here and the family growth.
September 25, 2023
Yup, still enjoying this series. A lot :-D At this point, I'm fast friends with not just Charlotte Sloane and the Earl of Wrexford, but with all the regular side characters too. And that means I delight in spending time with them between the pages of each book.
One of the things I like best about this series (at least, the first four books that I have read) is that the romantic undercurrent is strong, but remains clean. No one has hopped into bed with anyone else so far, which means I don't have to provide any caveats for my praise.
The pacing of this book is a bit slower than the previous three, but I appreciated that. It spends a lot of time letting us experience Charlotte and Wrexford coming to grips with how forming friendships and relationships of all sorts has helped them both grow too, and I loved that.
One of the things I like best about this series (at least, the first four books that I have read) is that the romantic undercurrent is strong, but remains clean. No one has hopped into bed with anyone else so far, which means I don't have to provide any caveats for my praise.
The pacing of this book is a bit slower than the previous three, but I appreciated that. It spends a lot of time letting us experience Charlotte and Wrexford coming to grips with how forming friendships and relationships of all sorts has helped them both grow too, and I loved that.
January 1, 2025
Book number 4 in the Wrexford and Sloane series and I enjoy reading these books and will continue to read the series.
I can’t say I was absolutely drawn in and didn’t want to put the book down. The stories are quite similar to the other books in the series.
But, saying that, I do enjoy these books and all the main characters I find likeable.
Pleasant reading.
I can’t say I was absolutely drawn in and didn’t want to put the book down. The stories are quite similar to the other books in the series.
But, saying that, I do enjoy these books and all the main characters I find likeable.
Pleasant reading.
May 4, 2023
I mistakenly purchased all available books of the Wrexford and Sloane series without just reading the first as a trial, so I blame myself for the mental anguish I just put myself through.
If this level of writing is what gets you a spot on the NY Times bestseller list, then my faith in literary standards is dwindling.
Over my thirty-plus years of reading a plethora of books, the closest I have ever gotten to a negative feeling for one was, “It wasn’t for me.”
Unfortunately for me, I got so tired of the repetitive use of specific words, shallow character development, obvious plot twists, and absolutely boring reminders of character personalities, I did something I’ve never done before: I gave up.
The sheer amount of times Andrea Penrose reuses words like SHADOWS, PLATITUDES, CONUNDRUMS, and SECRETS, to name a handful, drives a metaphorical stake through my brain to the point where it manifests a literal twitch on my face.
With my completionist mindset, I usually give the benefit of the doubt and “power through” to complete a series. I had to stop a quarter of the way through the fourth novel because I am just so tired with it all.
In the end, it doesn’t matter. Andrea Penrose has my money. I will know to steer clear of anything having to do with her writing from now on. At least when looking at the silver lining, I could say that Andrea Penrose is the first author to have EVER made me throw a book down and exclaim out loud, “F$&k it! I’m done!”
If this level of writing is what gets you a spot on the NY Times bestseller list, then my faith in literary standards is dwindling.
Over my thirty-plus years of reading a plethora of books, the closest I have ever gotten to a negative feeling for one was, “It wasn’t for me.”
Unfortunately for me, I got so tired of the repetitive use of specific words, shallow character development, obvious plot twists, and absolutely boring reminders of character personalities, I did something I’ve never done before: I gave up.
The sheer amount of times Andrea Penrose reuses words like SHADOWS, PLATITUDES, CONUNDRUMS, and SECRETS, to name a handful, drives a metaphorical stake through my brain to the point where it manifests a literal twitch on my face.
With my completionist mindset, I usually give the benefit of the doubt and “power through” to complete a series. I had to stop a quarter of the way through the fourth novel because I am just so tired with it all.
In the end, it doesn’t matter. Andrea Penrose has my money. I will know to steer clear of anything having to do with her writing from now on. At least when looking at the silver lining, I could say that Andrea Penrose is the first author to have EVER made me throw a book down and exclaim out loud, “F$&k it! I’m done!”
October 14, 2020
4-1/2*
This is #4 in a series and each one has been interesting, intriguing and entertaining with some very fascinating characters. That is if you are a fan of the era, a good mystery and the language of the time.
It begins with the murder of a shipping clerk, not something that the beau monde would concern themselves with, that is until close friends of Charlotte and Wrexford go missing and all indications are that they may have been connected in some manner with the murdered man.
The murder mystery this time involves a convoluted scheme related to banking, fraud and illicit trading which becomes so confusing that it loses its edge. Thus my deducting half a star.
The author has made mention of some of the background that has brought Charlotte and Wrexford to this point but it would be so much more enjoyable if you have read the series from the beginning. And from the ending I suspect this might be the end of the series. (??) Although I hope not.
This is #4 in a series and each one has been interesting, intriguing and entertaining with some very fascinating characters. That is if you are a fan of the era, a good mystery and the language of the time.
It begins with the murder of a shipping clerk, not something that the beau monde would concern themselves with, that is until close friends of Charlotte and Wrexford go missing and all indications are that they may have been connected in some manner with the murdered man.
The murder mystery this time involves a convoluted scheme related to banking, fraud and illicit trading which becomes so confusing that it loses its edge. Thus my deducting half a star.
The author has made mention of some of the background that has brought Charlotte and Wrexford to this point but it would be so much more enjoyable if you have read the series from the beginning. And from the ending I suspect this might be the end of the series. (??) Although I hope not.
May 31, 2023
Murder at Queen’s Landing struck close to home for Wrexford, Charlotte and their friends pitting them against the combined might of power and wealth. I eagerly snatched it up and delved back into the tension-wrought, gritty Regency London world Andrea Penrose created that combines history, mystery, romance, and friendship in a dynamic, engaging story.
Murder at Queen’s Landing is fourth in the strongly connected Wrexford and Sloan series. The mystery is built on people befriended in the last book and the surrounding story threads are ongoing from the beginning of the series.
I enjoyed how the tentative new romance between Wrexford and Lady Charlotte has grown them into a strong couple and detecting pair of equal respected partners, but also made them grow as individuals. Charlotte has learned to loosen her grip on her need to go it alone to take in a made family and friendships while she rejoins the aristocratic society she walked away from. She is learning to grasp the truth that Wrexford reiterates to her that she returns as a whole new person with vast experiences that will keep her from becoming what she fears and will keep her from losing any part of the woman she has worked hard to make of herself. At the same time, Wrexford has gone through his own gradual epiphany learning he does have feelings and he is looking outside of himself more to his friends like Kit who hesitate to connect with him for fear of being rebuffed or cut with his sharp tongue.
All this is coming to a fore while they are on the track of another murderer who they fear might be the brother of a brilliant lady mathematician Kit and the oldest Weasel, Raven have drawn close to. Not only are the brother and sister implicated, but they have disappeared. And, scarily, the death seems to be pointing at a deadly connection to the powerful and not to be thwarted East India Company and a financial scheme that might go straight to the top.
Full of suspense, intrigue, and intricate relationships, this latest had me riveted. I will admit to struggling through some of the financial investigation as business figures and machinations aren’t my forte, but it was an interesting historical element within the backdrop of the story. Again, I implore historical mystery fans to snatch up this series and prepare to binge.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy May 25th.
I enjoyed this as a Buddy Read with Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
Murder at Queen’s Landing is fourth in the strongly connected Wrexford and Sloan series. The mystery is built on people befriended in the last book and the surrounding story threads are ongoing from the beginning of the series.
I enjoyed how the tentative new romance between Wrexford and Lady Charlotte has grown them into a strong couple and detecting pair of equal respected partners, but also made them grow as individuals. Charlotte has learned to loosen her grip on her need to go it alone to take in a made family and friendships while she rejoins the aristocratic society she walked away from. She is learning to grasp the truth that Wrexford reiterates to her that she returns as a whole new person with vast experiences that will keep her from becoming what she fears and will keep her from losing any part of the woman she has worked hard to make of herself. At the same time, Wrexford has gone through his own gradual epiphany learning he does have feelings and he is looking outside of himself more to his friends like Kit who hesitate to connect with him for fear of being rebuffed or cut with his sharp tongue.
All this is coming to a fore while they are on the track of another murderer who they fear might be the brother of a brilliant lady mathematician Kit and the oldest Weasel, Raven have drawn close to. Not only are the brother and sister implicated, but they have disappeared. And, scarily, the death seems to be pointing at a deadly connection to the powerful and not to be thwarted East India Company and a financial scheme that might go straight to the top.
Full of suspense, intrigue, and intricate relationships, this latest had me riveted. I will admit to struggling through some of the financial investigation as business figures and machinations aren’t my forte, but it was an interesting historical element within the backdrop of the story. Again, I implore historical mystery fans to snatch up this series and prepare to binge.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy May 25th.
I enjoyed this as a Buddy Read with Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
November 3, 2020
I read this a month ago and thought about re-reading it because I had such a negative reading experience the first time and thought it might have been my mind-set in September. Well it wasn't. I tried to read it again and I just couldn't. When this series first started I was so onboard, finally something fresh in a historical series, but that didn't last long, by the second book I could tell that the author was going to "conform her characters to society" and because of that she has lost me as a buying reader.
In this fourth book I was appalled by the inanity of the characters and their complete personality transformations. In the opening paragraphs of the first chapter Wrexford and his valet/lab assistant Tyler are bickering like an old married couple over his choice of weskit for a Ball. They. Are. Arguing. About. Clothing! It was weird and distressing and a very poor start. The mystery plot is a tedious and convoluted mathematical mess that takes place mostly in the country as apposed to the usual London setting. That brother and sister from the last book are the ones in trouble and Sheffield and Raven loose all perspective in reality and act like idiots over Cordelia. Personally I think Penrose made a HUGE mistake in removing Charlotte and the boys from the edge of St. Giles and making their circumstances more respectable. But what is truly an absolute disappointment is the loss of the brilliant A.J. Quill whom has been sacrificed so that Charlotte could become a suitable mate for a member of the ton.
In my opinion the author rushed her fences with the romance and thus ended her series in this messed up and sentimental fourth book which is just too damn bad.
In this fourth book I was appalled by the inanity of the characters and their complete personality transformations. In the opening paragraphs of the first chapter Wrexford and his valet/lab assistant Tyler are bickering like an old married couple over his choice of weskit for a Ball. They. Are. Arguing. About. Clothing! It was weird and distressing and a very poor start. The mystery plot is a tedious and convoluted mathematical mess that takes place mostly in the country as apposed to the usual London setting. That brother and sister from the last book are the ones in trouble and Sheffield and Raven loose all perspective in reality and act like idiots over Cordelia. Personally I think Penrose made a HUGE mistake in removing Charlotte and the boys from the edge of St. Giles and making their circumstances more respectable. But what is truly an absolute disappointment is the loss of the brilliant A.J. Quill whom has been sacrificed so that Charlotte could become a suitable mate for a member of the ton.
In my opinion the author rushed her fences with the romance and thus ended her series in this messed up and sentimental fourth book which is just too damn bad.
December 27, 2020
It was ok. I got tired of all the 'we are the good guys fighting evil' talk. If the thought of Ada Lovelace or Charles Babbage crossed your mind, there is good reason, but they were never mentioned.
I did wonder what year it was set, since the inventor & Lady Cordelia seemed to be so much modeled on Charles Babbage & Ada Lovelace -- including the inventor being the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, a post once held by Isaac Newton.
I didn't guess the bad guys & I also didn't follow the explanation of how the arbitrage worked. OTOH, I did know (from having read The Information by James Gleick) that log tables were both important & full of inaccuracies. I'm sure the system the bad guys were involved in would have worked, it was just a bit complicated for a novel. :-)
I'll continue on with the series. It's good enough & at least the good guys are good, even if they are inclined to navel gazing & being so virtuous as to remind one of Disney.
I did wonder what year it was set, since the inventor & Lady Cordelia seemed to be so much modeled on Charles Babbage & Ada Lovelace -- including the inventor being the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, a post once held by Isaac Newton.
I didn't guess the bad guys & I also didn't follow the explanation of how the arbitrage worked. OTOH, I did know (from having read The Information by James Gleick) that log tables were both important & full of inaccuracies. I'm sure the system the bad guys were involved in would have worked, it was just a bit complicated for a novel. :-)
I'll continue on with the series. It's good enough & at least the good guys are good, even if they are inclined to navel gazing & being so virtuous as to remind one of Disney.
October 18, 2021
I love these characters so much...I kind of wish there was even more of the relationship and less of the mystery because I adore them. It seemed like there were a few opportunities for Charlotte and Wrexford to have sweet moments (like when they are wedged into a hiding spot, in danger of being discovered), but they passed. Nothing like increasing the tension even more!
The mystery was great and I appreciate the research that went into crafting all the layers of it. I gobbled this one up in one day!
Upon reread: this book is such a slam dunk. The mystery is complicated - there’s a lot to understand. The character development is beautiful. There are so many scenes, even very short ones, that are lovely and heart warming. I completely forgot about Harper! And that Alice, Skinny, and some other urchins get a nice ending.
The mystery was great and I appreciate the research that went into crafting all the layers of it. I gobbled this one up in one day!
Upon reread: this book is such a slam dunk. The mystery is complicated - there’s a lot to understand. The character development is beautiful. There are so many scenes, even very short ones, that are lovely and heart warming. I completely forgot about Harper! And that Alice, Skinny, and some other urchins get a nice ending.
February 22, 2021
Really enjoyable mystery. Very twisty. I do admit I did skim over some of the mathematical explanations. Wrexford and Charlotte’s slow-burning romance continues apace. The Weasels educations are in hand and the ending of this was really delightful, with a proposal of marriage, homes and positions for Raven and Hawk’s friends Skinny, Alice the Eel Girl, Pudge and One-Eye Harry. Also a huge Scottish deerhound named Harper and puppies. It doesn’t get better than that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2020
Another tale of mid 1980's London. Murder and mystery with a smart widow and her gang of street urchins.......and a handsome earl to boot.
June 7, 2023
Lady Cordelia befriended our duo in the previous novel, and they have become friends. Rumors of fraudulent bank loans and stolen secrets that could threaten the British empire bring us a suspenseful mystery. When Lady Cordelia and Lord Woodbridge, her brother, go missing, they stand accused of the crimes. Of course Wrexford & Sloane must investigate.
What a clever tale Penrose has crafted. I was pulled in from the very beginning as the mystery hooked me. Of course, I enjoy spending time with this couple and their circle of allies, wards, and servants.
The stakes were high and danger lurked around every corner with each clue they unraveled. This forced the two to spend more time with each other, and it was delicious. The romance sees some developments that left me giddy, despite knowing it was inevitable. Their relationship feels genuine and they are well suited. The Weasels aided and have stolen my heart. It’s the characters that make this series for me.
Despite the intense mystery, there were moments that made me laugh and I dare say I am eager to continue the series. I scooped up the rest of the series using Kindle Unlimited to buy the audiobooks at a reduced price.
James Cameron Stewart narrates the series and does a splendid job of giving voice to each of the characters. He perfectly captures their personalities, mannerisms and the bond between them. I highly recommend listening. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
What a clever tale Penrose has crafted. I was pulled in from the very beginning as the mystery hooked me. Of course, I enjoy spending time with this couple and their circle of allies, wards, and servants.
The stakes were high and danger lurked around every corner with each clue they unraveled. This forced the two to spend more time with each other, and it was delicious. The romance sees some developments that left me giddy, despite knowing it was inevitable. Their relationship feels genuine and they are well suited. The Weasels aided and have stolen my heart. It’s the characters that make this series for me.
Despite the intense mystery, there were moments that made me laugh and I dare say I am eager to continue the series. I scooped up the rest of the series using Kindle Unlimited to buy the audiobooks at a reduced price.
James Cameron Stewart narrates the series and does a splendid job of giving voice to each of the characters. He perfectly captures their personalities, mannerisms and the bond between them. I highly recommend listening. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
February 26, 2023
Cannot continue. I have come to dislike this author’s writing style. If she is not repeating catchphrases a million times, or spouting Latin, she is drenching otherwise interesting characters in flowery language:
What’s wrong with this image of a “guttersnipe” youth: “On account of it giving away the truth,” said Raven, turning to watch Alison intently through the fringe of his dark lashes.
Indeed, Wrexford is described as “ Irascible. Arrogant. Sarcastic” yet — breaching character — he and his friend speak in metaphor and imagery, even in flowery language. This sounds like the voice of the author herself, and not of her characters:
“a tear pearled on Alison’s lashes”
What’s wrong with this image of a “guttersnipe” youth: “On account of it giving away the truth,” said Raven, turning to watch Alison intently through the fringe of his dark lashes.
“Forgive me if my sharp tongue has caused offense,” he finally said. “As you well know, I see the world through a rather cynical prism.”
Indeed, Wrexford is described as “ Irascible. Arrogant. Sarcastic” yet — breaching character — he and his friend speak in metaphor and imagery, even in flowery language. This sounds like the voice of the author herself, and not of her characters:
“But there are times when your sentiments are . . . difficult to discern. They often flicker between day and night . . . reflecting the warmth of the sun or the coolness of the moon.” It was an astute observation, admitted the earl. “Perhaps it’s simply my fate to be contrary. The dark and light sides of my nature are constantly at war with each other.”
May 17, 2023
I already had this from the library, so I figured I’d read it despite not really liking the third book in the series. That was a mistake.
This novel was painful from start to finish. In the first book, I felt like Penrose was setting up ideas and character traits that would be explored further in subsequent books. It’s now apparent that there is no further depth here — we’re just circling the same concepts and phrases over and over again with no real movement.
That’s also an apt description of what passed for a plot in this volume. We spend most of our time on exposition and hearing the characters rephrase the same ideas and questions ad nauseum.
As for the prose itself, I can’t tell if Penrose needs a new editor or if she’s just outright ignoring the one she has. I’ll be happy if I never read the phrase “havey-cavey” or “heaven forfend” again. “Practical” and “pragmatic” mean the same thing. Why did we have not one but TWO different (ostensibly intelligent) characters say, “That’s very practical and pragmatic.” And overall, most of the dialogue sounded like someone trying to appear smart but failing miserably.
I think it’s safe to say this is my last Wrexford and Sloane novel.
This novel was painful from start to finish. In the first book, I felt like Penrose was setting up ideas and character traits that would be explored further in subsequent books. It’s now apparent that there is no further depth here — we’re just circling the same concepts and phrases over and over again with no real movement.
That’s also an apt description of what passed for a plot in this volume. We spend most of our time on exposition and hearing the characters rephrase the same ideas and questions ad nauseum.
As for the prose itself, I can’t tell if Penrose needs a new editor or if she’s just outright ignoring the one she has. I’ll be happy if I never read the phrase “havey-cavey” or “heaven forfend” again. “Practical” and “pragmatic” mean the same thing. Why did we have not one but TWO different (ostensibly intelligent) characters say, “That’s very practical and pragmatic.” And overall, most of the dialogue sounded like someone trying to appear smart but failing miserably.
I think it’s safe to say this is my last Wrexford and Sloane novel.
June 11, 2024
4 stars.
June 2024 - re-listened.
___________
July 2021
In this instalment, the author looked at the beginning of the invention of the calculator. It's interesting when you hear the inventor and Wrexford both agreeing that they wouldn't see an automated calculator in their lifetime. But we've sure come a long way in the 100 years or so, especially in the last couple of decades!!!
It's another intricate case with a lot of different threads and Kit Sheffield and the boys definitely did their share of bringing the culprits to justice. I'm not sure how I feel about what Wrexford did at the end there . I guess we'll see how things work out in the next book.
June 2024 - re-listened.
___________
July 2021
In this instalment, the author looked at the beginning of the invention of the calculator. It's interesting when you hear the inventor and Wrexford both agreeing that they wouldn't see an automated calculator in their lifetime. But we've sure come a long way in the 100 years or so, especially in the last couple of decades!!!
It's another intricate case with a lot of different threads and Kit Sheffield and the boys definitely did their share of bringing the culprits to justice. I'm not sure how I feel about what Wrexford did at the end there . I guess we'll see how things work out in the next book.
February 7, 2021
I am rating this 3.5* and rounding up. I just was not that invested in the book till the end. I found myself lost in a lot of the financial parts of the plot and the action was not there for me. I understand having family and friends but, its getting to be soooo many characters. I do have to say I did not guess who the villain was till the end. I enjoy this author and look there will be another mystery.
October 21, 2020
they make an amazing team. and the delicate balance of the period is well done. and i am a sucker for eccentric aristocrats.
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