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A Lady Arianna Regency Mystery #5
A Question of Numbers
With the threat of war looming over the Continent now that Napoleon has re-seized the throne of France, London is abuzz with intrigue as diplomats from the European powers gather to negotiate a military alliance against him. But Lady Arianna and her husband, the Earl of Saybrook, are intent on staying clear of the conflict, deciding it’s a battle for nations and armies to fight . . .
Until things turn very personal. When a Prussian diplomat is murdered, two items found in his pocket force Arianna and Saybrook to once again become reluctant allies with the shadowy head of British security and undertake a rescue mission to Brussels, where lies and deceptions swirl within the ballrooms of the British expatriate community as the armies of Wellington and Napoleon prepare to clash.
A friend, thought to have been killed in Elba, may in fact be alive and a French prisoner—putting his young daughter in danger of been kidnapped from her convent school and used to force her father into revealing critical military secrets. The mission is made even more complicated by yet another threat to Britain’s shaky military alliance . . . and the presence of an enigmatic Spanish beauty whose history with Saybrook is fraught with unsettling questions.
Love, friendship, loyalty. Trust will be tested as Arianna and Saybrook race against time to help defeat the advancing French army. And as Arianna finds herself matching wits with Napoleon, it will once again all come down to a matter of Luck . . .
Until things turn very personal. When a Prussian diplomat is murdered, two items found in his pocket force Arianna and Saybrook to once again become reluctant allies with the shadowy head of British security and undertake a rescue mission to Brussels, where lies and deceptions swirl within the ballrooms of the British expatriate community as the armies of Wellington and Napoleon prepare to clash.
A friend, thought to have been killed in Elba, may in fact be alive and a French prisoner—putting his young daughter in danger of been kidnapped from her convent school and used to force her father into revealing critical military secrets. The mission is made even more complicated by yet another threat to Britain’s shaky military alliance . . . and the presence of an enigmatic Spanish beauty whose history with Saybrook is fraught with unsettling questions.
Love, friendship, loyalty. Trust will be tested as Arianna and Saybrook race against time to help defeat the advancing French army. And as Arianna finds herself matching wits with Napoleon, it will once again all come down to a matter of Luck . . .
1 pages, Audio CD
First published April 8, 2019
292 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Penrose
21 books1,979 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 43 reviews
April 29, 2019
Series: Lady Arianna Hadley Mystery #5
Publication Date: 4/8/19
Number of Pages: 375
4.5 Stars
Things are very, very tense in England. Napoleon has escaped from Elba and is marshaling his troops in order to, once again, take the throne of France and the rest of Europe. The various countries and factions on the continent are vacillating between standing alone, joining Napoleon or joining with England. If Lord Charles Mellon can’t ferret out the spies within each camp and wrestle the various factions into an alliance, then all of Europe will be engulfed in war – again. England can’t fight the battle alone because all of her seasoned troops have been sent to America for the War of 1812. Even though that conflict has ended, there is no way to get those troops from America to England in time to stop Napoleon. That means that the Duke of Wellington is left with a rag-tag group of raw recruits and whatever coalition the diplomats can throw together. Can they defeat Napoleon? Luck will have to be with them at every turn for that to happen.
Lord Charles received a secret communication from someone in the Prussian delegation claiming there was a group of conspirators within the coalition of European allies that are in league with Napoleon. They are to foment distrust and dissension in order to cause the coalition to crumble. That would throw the balance of power to Napoleon. The next step depends on Arianna, Countess of Saybrook because the information had met her in Vienna the year before and trusted her. A meeting between Arianna and the informant is set in the garden of the ball they are to attend. Except – when Arianna arrives at the appointed place, she hears a gate slam and finds her contact dying. He mutters a few words and has written a ‘V’ in his own blood.
The victim was indeed someone Arianna knew – and liked. The clues lead in multiple directions, there are plots within plots and all are designed to throw any investigators off the track. Arianna and her husband along with Constantina, Dowager Countess of Sterling, Miss Sophia Kirtland, and Lord Grentham are lead from England to Brussels pursuing multiple mysteries whose solutions can save England as well as Europe from the clutches of Napoleon - not to mention saving a young girl from kidnapping and her father from torture and death.
This is a fast-paced, excellently written story of intrigue and a bit of romance. The characters are memorable and the scene-setting is exceptional. This author manages to seamlessly weave together fact and fiction in a way that will keep you reading from the first page to last.
It was interesting to find – from the Author’s Notes – how much of the book was actually fact. I love it when an author includes the author’s notes and explains their research and what they found.
I can definitely recommend both this book and this series!
Publication Date: 4/8/19
Number of Pages: 375
4.5 Stars
Things are very, very tense in England. Napoleon has escaped from Elba and is marshaling his troops in order to, once again, take the throne of France and the rest of Europe. The various countries and factions on the continent are vacillating between standing alone, joining Napoleon or joining with England. If Lord Charles Mellon can’t ferret out the spies within each camp and wrestle the various factions into an alliance, then all of Europe will be engulfed in war – again. England can’t fight the battle alone because all of her seasoned troops have been sent to America for the War of 1812. Even though that conflict has ended, there is no way to get those troops from America to England in time to stop Napoleon. That means that the Duke of Wellington is left with a rag-tag group of raw recruits and whatever coalition the diplomats can throw together. Can they defeat Napoleon? Luck will have to be with them at every turn for that to happen.
Lord Charles received a secret communication from someone in the Prussian delegation claiming there was a group of conspirators within the coalition of European allies that are in league with Napoleon. They are to foment distrust and dissension in order to cause the coalition to crumble. That would throw the balance of power to Napoleon. The next step depends on Arianna, Countess of Saybrook because the information had met her in Vienna the year before and trusted her. A meeting between Arianna and the informant is set in the garden of the ball they are to attend. Except – when Arianna arrives at the appointed place, she hears a gate slam and finds her contact dying. He mutters a few words and has written a ‘V’ in his own blood.
The victim was indeed someone Arianna knew – and liked. The clues lead in multiple directions, there are plots within plots and all are designed to throw any investigators off the track. Arianna and her husband along with Constantina, Dowager Countess of Sterling, Miss Sophia Kirtland, and Lord Grentham are lead from England to Brussels pursuing multiple mysteries whose solutions can save England as well as Europe from the clutches of Napoleon - not to mention saving a young girl from kidnapping and her father from torture and death.
This is a fast-paced, excellently written story of intrigue and a bit of romance. The characters are memorable and the scene-setting is exceptional. This author manages to seamlessly weave together fact and fiction in a way that will keep you reading from the first page to last.
It was interesting to find – from the Author’s Notes – how much of the book was actually fact. I love it when an author includes the author’s notes and explains their research and what they found.
I can definitely recommend both this book and this series!
July 15, 2020
I continue to power through these. This is another enjoyable installment in this series. A couple of minor quibbles with this one though...
1) Not enough focus on Arianna and Saybrook. There's is by far the partnership I'm most interested in.
2) I enjoy the idea of Sophia and Granthem, but I think I enjoy it more in theory then in practice, for whatever reason. I enjoy watching the development of his reluctant alliance/friendship with Arianna and Saybrook more.
3) Which brings me to the fact that I feel like this book just had too much Sophia in it. And I cannot warm to her. Perhaps it's because she still feels like a bit of a cardboard cutout to me. Perhaps it's because I secretly wonder if Arianna (and the narrative) would be better served by a friend who's a bit more of a foil for her, than someone who shares a lot of her more obvious personality traits. Perhaps its because the friendship scenes between her and Arianna (which I suspect were supposed to add a lot of emotional heft to the plotline) often come across as a bit trite. Or maybe it's just that it feels like they cover a lot of the same ground. But then again, my reaction could just be stemming from the fact that she's by far my least favourite character in the series, so I'm not as invested in any emotional scenes.
It's not that I dislike Sophia, per se. It's just that I struggle to invest (I invested more in Saybrook's former lover whose name I can't remember, for example, and she played a far smaller role). And that's a bit of a problem when she's taking up really a lot of page time.
4) And lastly, I wanted Brussels to come alive a bit more. Honestly, this felt like it could have been set anywhere in Europe that wasn't London. The city had no real character. I'm not suggesting that the author should have shoehorned in three dozen mentions of any local sites, but... well, in the last one the setting came alive on Elba. This one less so. It felt like the characters could have been running down the back alleys of basically any city in Europe. A bit disappointing, is all I'm saying.
So enjoyable, but not a favourite.
1) Not enough focus on Arianna and Saybrook. There's is by far the partnership I'm most interested in.
2) I enjoy the idea of Sophia and Granthem, but I think I enjoy it more in theory then in practice, for whatever reason. I enjoy watching the development of his reluctant alliance/friendship with Arianna and Saybrook more.
3) Which brings me to the fact that I feel like this book just had too much Sophia in it. And I cannot warm to her. Perhaps it's because she still feels like a bit of a cardboard cutout to me. Perhaps it's because I secretly wonder if Arianna (and the narrative) would be better served by a friend who's a bit more of a foil for her, than someone who shares a lot of her more obvious personality traits. Perhaps its because the friendship scenes between her and Arianna (which I suspect were supposed to add a lot of emotional heft to the plotline) often come across as a bit trite. Or maybe it's just that it feels like they cover a lot of the same ground. But then again, my reaction could just be stemming from the fact that she's by far my least favourite character in the series, so I'm not as invested in any emotional scenes.
It's not that I dislike Sophia, per se. It's just that I struggle to invest (I invested more in Saybrook's former lover whose name I can't remember, for example, and she played a far smaller role). And that's a bit of a problem when she's taking up really a lot of page time.
4) And lastly, I wanted Brussels to come alive a bit more. Honestly, this felt like it could have been set anywhere in Europe that wasn't London. The city had no real character. I'm not suggesting that the author should have shoehorned in three dozen mentions of any local sites, but... well, in the last one the setting came alive on Elba. This one less so. It felt like the characters could have been running down the back alleys of basically any city in Europe. A bit disappointing, is all I'm saying.
So enjoyable, but not a favourite.
June 1, 2022
I love learning about history that is intertwined with fiction. Another great read!
April 10, 2019
Avid Reader
This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat! When the "gang" heads off to Brussels to find a "lost" agent, locate the agent"s daughter, and find the killer of a friend of Lady Arianna who leaves her clues about Napoleon 's moves after he escaped from Elba; all bets are off concerning what will happen next. Grantham gets captured during a rescue and had to be rescued by women no less, which is more than he can handle. Two little girls add some levity to the harsh realities of war, and love enters in this Regency mystery.
This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat! When the "gang" heads off to Brussels to find a "lost" agent, locate the agent"s daughter, and find the killer of a friend of Lady Arianna who leaves her clues about Napoleon 's moves after he escaped from Elba; all bets are off concerning what will happen next. Grantham gets captured during a rescue and had to be rescued by women no less, which is more than he can handle. Two little girls add some levity to the harsh realities of war, and love enters in this Regency mystery.
March 2, 2021
In the book the Duke said (without avarice) "I admit I want more foamy ale!"
December 6, 2019
I love this series! It's a favourite and I have loved each book and even the novellas. Andrea Penrose is a wonderful writer and I look forward to each next book in Lady Arianna's story with great anticipation.
The characters in this series are so well-written you can't help but become engrossed in their adventures. Both Arianna and Saybrook are complex, flawed people who have plenty of baggage. Bit they are also laudable, likable people that you want to root for.
I love the adventure and suspense that Penrose creates for her characters and her pacing is superb! There is a perfect balance of action and mundane activities to engage but not exhaust the reader. It's fun to see Arianna and Saybrook in ordinary homey activities - liking making breakfast - alternating with thrilling chases and other intrigues.
The supporting characters are just as well-written and interesting as the main ones, making for world-building that fully draws in the reader.
Not to forget to mention the fun focus on chocolate. The mentions and recipes are a fun sideline for a chocolate lover.
Overall this is just a terrific well-written and engaging series and I highly recommend it!
The characters in this series are so well-written you can't help but become engrossed in their adventures. Both Arianna and Saybrook are complex, flawed people who have plenty of baggage. Bit they are also laudable, likable people that you want to root for.
I love the adventure and suspense that Penrose creates for her characters and her pacing is superb! There is a perfect balance of action and mundane activities to engage but not exhaust the reader. It's fun to see Arianna and Saybrook in ordinary homey activities - liking making breakfast - alternating with thrilling chases and other intrigues.
The supporting characters are just as well-written and interesting as the main ones, making for world-building that fully draws in the reader.
Not to forget to mention the fun focus on chocolate. The mentions and recipes are a fun sideline for a chocolate lover.
Overall this is just a terrific well-written and engaging series and I highly recommend it!
October 27, 2023
4 stars.
Oct 2023 - re-listened. It seems to me the world situation has gotten worse since I listened to this book last year! 😥
_________
March 2022
All the gang (except for Henning) go to Brussels to rescue one of Grentham's operatives who helped Arianna and Saybrook in the previous book Smoke & Lies where we also got to meet Napoleon. Now we get to see Wellington before the Battle of Waterloo. I can really understand Arianna's inner thoughts about the strangeness of seeing people dancing at balls on the eve of war. It feels like we are going through something similar right now. :(
Oct 2023 - re-listened. It seems to me the world situation has gotten worse since I listened to this book last year! 😥
_________
March 2022
All the gang (except for Henning) go to Brussels to rescue one of Grentham's operatives who helped Arianna and Saybrook in the previous book Smoke & Lies where we also got to meet Napoleon. Now we get to see Wellington before the Battle of Waterloo. I can really understand Arianna's inner thoughts about the strangeness of seeing people dancing at balls on the eve of war. It feels like we are going through something similar right now. :(
September 14, 2022
Grantham pulls Sando, Earl of Saybrook and Arianna into another bout of intrigue. When a friend, thought dead, is suddenly thought to still be alive and being held by French forces, they pack their bags again and head to Brussels. There they will attempt a rescue of their friend and his daughter but find they must also rescue the undoubtable Grantham himself. It all revolves around numbers and a secret weapon Napoleon supposedly possesses. Also added to the mix is a Spanish beauty whose history with Saybrook is fraught with unsettling questions. Great read and a great series.
August 2, 2022
*Special Content only on my blog, Strange and Random Happenstance during Regency Romp (March-August 2022)
Saybrook and Arianna are doing his uncle, Lord Mellon, a favor. The alliances needed to defeat Napoleon are tenuous at best and everyone in London is on tenterhooks. Therefore when Lord Mellon is approached by a Prussian saying that he has proof of someone working against the alliance and that he will only speak to Arianna it's the least Arianna can do to hear this man out. After all Arianna still feels bad they weren't able to stop Napoleon from leaving Elba and she'll do what needs to be done to save more lives. But the Prussian, a delightful man who loved Shakespeare, Count Grunwald, is murdered before their rendezvous. Perhaps by a deadly assassin. Arianna doesn't know who the Count suspected but he thankfully left clues knowing that his own life was in danger. One of the clues is quite shocking. Saybrook and Arianna have often been forced to work with Lord Grentham. Lord Grentham's second in command, Pierson, was assumed killed during their previous mission on Elba. But the signet ring that Count Grunwald was clutching would indicate otherwise. This means that if Pierson were to break at the hands of his inquisitors the alliance could be lost as he holds a key piece of information that could turn the tide of war. Saybrook and Arianna though are more worried about rescuing their friend. Because if the French need leverage against Pierson they are sure to find it in Brussels, where Pierson's illegitimate daughter Emma is residing. The French are sure to seek her out so Saybrook, Arianna, and their whole crew, as Aunt Constantina and Sophia also insist on accompanying them, are heading to Brussels, to rescue a girl, and if they're lucky, her father as well. But in the whirl of the beau monde as they try to eek out one more day of pleasure as war comes swiftly on cats paws can Saybrook and Arianna find the truth or will they be distracted by spectacles and riddles that prove enigmatic. And what about the woman from Sandro's past, Paloma Marone-Cinzano? Is she a friend or a foe? And who is the father of her child?
I recently got around to watching the 2018 Vanity Fair miniseries, which aside from the weird musical choices at the end of each episode is probably my favorite version now, and I was once again struck with the weird dichotomy of the Battle of Waterloo happening mere steps away from the ton partying in Brussels like there's no tomorrow. But in fairness there might not have been a tomorrow, as Wellington himself said it was "the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life." It's so hard to wrap one's head around this luxurious and ostentatious lifestyle happening concurrently with Napoleon cutting a swath through the continent during the Hundred Days. "Heaven forfend that the prospect of death and destruction interfere with the beau monde’s pleasures." Like many people my first introduction to the Regency era was through the works of Jane Austen, so my Napoleonic history was sketchy, at best. Which is one of the reasons I took British History in college, I wanted to know more. But my first introduction to Waterloo was actually via Thackeray's classic Vanity Fair. And I really thought it was fiction and not truth. I mean, seriously, this is an example of truth being stranger than fiction. Which is what I love about A Question of Numbers. Andrea Penrose perfectly captures this weird world that feels fictitious. The sojourns to the park to take a stroll and get the latest gossip on the impending invasion. You know, just a normal day. But Andrea really brings home the dark underbelly that is hidden beneath the balls and the ballgowns. All the nefarious dealings and struggles of spy versus spy. All the little players who played their part and, with a bit of luck, brought home a British victory at the cost of so many lives. In fact I couldn't help but feel that this volume of Arianna and Sandro's adventures was a bit of a Russian epic. That fighting despite the futility of war, though thankfully without any of our leads ending up under a train.
Saybrook and Arianna are doing his uncle, Lord Mellon, a favor. The alliances needed to defeat Napoleon are tenuous at best and everyone in London is on tenterhooks. Therefore when Lord Mellon is approached by a Prussian saying that he has proof of someone working against the alliance and that he will only speak to Arianna it's the least Arianna can do to hear this man out. After all Arianna still feels bad they weren't able to stop Napoleon from leaving Elba and she'll do what needs to be done to save more lives. But the Prussian, a delightful man who loved Shakespeare, Count Grunwald, is murdered before their rendezvous. Perhaps by a deadly assassin. Arianna doesn't know who the Count suspected but he thankfully left clues knowing that his own life was in danger. One of the clues is quite shocking. Saybrook and Arianna have often been forced to work with Lord Grentham. Lord Grentham's second in command, Pierson, was assumed killed during their previous mission on Elba. But the signet ring that Count Grunwald was clutching would indicate otherwise. This means that if Pierson were to break at the hands of his inquisitors the alliance could be lost as he holds a key piece of information that could turn the tide of war. Saybrook and Arianna though are more worried about rescuing their friend. Because if the French need leverage against Pierson they are sure to find it in Brussels, where Pierson's illegitimate daughter Emma is residing. The French are sure to seek her out so Saybrook, Arianna, and their whole crew, as Aunt Constantina and Sophia also insist on accompanying them, are heading to Brussels, to rescue a girl, and if they're lucky, her father as well. But in the whirl of the beau monde as they try to eek out one more day of pleasure as war comes swiftly on cats paws can Saybrook and Arianna find the truth or will they be distracted by spectacles and riddles that prove enigmatic. And what about the woman from Sandro's past, Paloma Marone-Cinzano? Is she a friend or a foe? And who is the father of her child?
I recently got around to watching the 2018 Vanity Fair miniseries, which aside from the weird musical choices at the end of each episode is probably my favorite version now, and I was once again struck with the weird dichotomy of the Battle of Waterloo happening mere steps away from the ton partying in Brussels like there's no tomorrow. But in fairness there might not have been a tomorrow, as Wellington himself said it was "the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life." It's so hard to wrap one's head around this luxurious and ostentatious lifestyle happening concurrently with Napoleon cutting a swath through the continent during the Hundred Days. "Heaven forfend that the prospect of death and destruction interfere with the beau monde’s pleasures." Like many people my first introduction to the Regency era was through the works of Jane Austen, so my Napoleonic history was sketchy, at best. Which is one of the reasons I took British History in college, I wanted to know more. But my first introduction to Waterloo was actually via Thackeray's classic Vanity Fair. And I really thought it was fiction and not truth. I mean, seriously, this is an example of truth being stranger than fiction. Which is what I love about A Question of Numbers. Andrea Penrose perfectly captures this weird world that feels fictitious. The sojourns to the park to take a stroll and get the latest gossip on the impending invasion. You know, just a normal day. But Andrea really brings home the dark underbelly that is hidden beneath the balls and the ballgowns. All the nefarious dealings and struggles of spy versus spy. All the little players who played their part and, with a bit of luck, brought home a British victory at the cost of so many lives. In fact I couldn't help but feel that this volume of Arianna and Sandro's adventures was a bit of a Russian epic. That fighting despite the futility of war, though thankfully without any of our leads ending up under a train.
May 5, 2024
I read the first six books of this series in one fell swoop and am giving one rating for them as a whole, since I can't really separate them in my mind (although each is certainly a complete mystery). I generally enjoyed the intersection of regency politics/war and mystery, but it was strained at times. I liked Arianna and I liked that she had had a varied and interesting life before the books began, giving her skills and experience. I also liked Saybrook and that their relationship tried to avoid emotional histrionics. But the plotting and writing was occasionally boring. Don't know if I will read past book 6.
April 11, 2019
Excellent book. Was just going to read a few chapters before bed and next thing I knew it was 3 am!
It’s the 5th book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone, the author does a great job of filling in enough of the backstory. The wonderful romance between Lady Arianna and the Earl is poignant and lovely and we see more of Lord Gresham and come to know him better.
The mystery had a lots of twists and turns. You come to know one of the villains early but guessing how and what is going to happen keeps the pages turning
Highly recommend!
It’s the 5th book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone, the author does a great job of filling in enough of the backstory. The wonderful romance between Lady Arianna and the Earl is poignant and lovely and we see more of Lord Gresham and come to know him better.
The mystery had a lots of twists and turns. You come to know one of the villains early but guessing how and what is going to happen keeps the pages turning
Highly recommend!
April 20, 2024
Love! Inteigue! History!
This chapter of Lady Arianna's story was interesting, suspenseful, and educational. I did not think much about the Battle of Waterloo until I read this book - which led me to a little deep dive on some of the history behind it. Interesting how this author is able to maintain realistic characters, juggle three or four plot lines, and pull everything together in the end while maintaining historical accuracy. This one was great fun to read and I'm looking forward to the next adventure.
This chapter of Lady Arianna's story was interesting, suspenseful, and educational. I did not think much about the Battle of Waterloo until I read this book - which led me to a little deep dive on some of the history behind it. Interesting how this author is able to maintain realistic characters, juggle three or four plot lines, and pull everything together in the end while maintaining historical accuracy. This one was great fun to read and I'm looking forward to the next adventure.
May 8, 2020
Napoleon has escaped from Elba, and the Allied powers — England, Prussia, Russia, and Austria — have formed a fragile coalition to try to defeat him, once and for all. But once again spies are trying to turn the tide Napoleon's way, so Sandro and Arianna, along with his great-aunt and their friend Sophia, head to Brussels to try and defuse the situation. Fast-paced, thrilling action ensues — and another specter from the past reappears. Highly recommended.
June 23, 2022
Wow!
Extremely involved investigation to determine which Allies will support Wellington's army against Napoleon and which are secretly supporting Napoleon! Well written description of the events in Brussels prior to Battle of Waterloo. Several new characters enter the investigation. Read books in order! This continuing saga is terrific, loved the mathematics, and the clues hidden in Euclidean Elements!
Extremely involved investigation to determine which Allies will support Wellington's army against Napoleon and which are secretly supporting Napoleon! Well written description of the events in Brussels prior to Battle of Waterloo. Several new characters enter the investigation. Read books in order! This continuing saga is terrific, loved the mathematics, and the clues hidden in Euclidean Elements!
December 15, 2023
The way to Waterloo
Arianna and co conspirators desend on Brussels in a muli-faceted mission. They need to a captured spy who they befriended on Elba. They need to find and rescue his daughter so thst she cannot be used as an infucement to give up his secrets. They need to helpWellington stop Napoleon. And, good grief-- love is in the air. Sophia makes a move. Lots of excitement and near misses.
Arianna and co conspirators desend on Brussels in a muli-faceted mission. They need to a captured spy who they befriended on Elba. They need to find and rescue his daughter so thst she cannot be used as an infucement to give up his secrets. They need to helpWellington stop Napoleon. And, good grief-- love is in the air. Sophia makes a move. Lots of excitement and near misses.
June 26, 2024
A Question of Numbers #5 in the Lady Arianna Mystery by Andrea Penrose. Arianna, Sandro, Sophie, Constantine, and Grantham are Brussels right before the battle of Waterloo. Adrianna was given a clue and book on math to bring down Napoleon but the messenger a Prussian Count was murdered before talking to the gang. Lots going on but they finally gelled as a team. Halfway through I realized I’ve read this before. Still good.
July 21, 2024
3.5 stars This time the Saybrooks come across a ghost from Sando's past in the form of an alluring widow and fellow spy. But who exactly is she spying for. I love how Sando and Ari face these things from each other's past together, abd actually communicate with each other about them. However I am not a huge fan of Sophia ( I dont hate her or anything, I just prefer when she is less prominent) so would have liked it better if she stayed in London.
May 11, 2019
Another lovely installment
Not only do the two main characters continue to expand and develop, but the previously ancillary characters are drawn into the menage as well. Historical detail is fascinating and well explained. Chocolate references continue but do not distract. Love the Sophia-Grentham arc.
Not only do the two main characters continue to expand and develop, but the previously ancillary characters are drawn into the menage as well. Historical detail is fascinating and well explained. Chocolate references continue but do not distract. Love the Sophia-Grentham arc.
March 15, 2021
I’m hooked on this series but I admit to getting bored with some of the historical aspects of it. I love and hate the detail of the novels but the storylines are thrilling and somewhat engaging. I have just completed book 6, can’t wait for the next installment but I need to read something else.
IS THIS A MIXED REVIEW? No, great story.
IS THIS A MIXED REVIEW? No, great story.
May 17, 2021
I enjoy these books as audiobooks, but this was one that had I had it in book form i would have given up halfway through. This one just went on and on. Still skipped a couple chapters because I just wanted to be done.
Long and short of it is don't start with this book not because it is towards the end of the series but because it isn't the best representation of the series.
Long and short of it is don't start with this book not because it is towards the end of the series but because it isn't the best representation of the series.
February 12, 2024
Good story
A wonderful tale wrapped in history. The events of the story tale place beneath the confusion and chaos astounding the lead up to the battle of Waterloo. So much is known about the actions of the main characters to that event, but this story peaks at possible actions of minor participants who worked behind the scenes go help bring about victory.
A wonderful tale wrapped in history. The events of the story tale place beneath the confusion and chaos astounding the lead up to the battle of Waterloo. So much is known about the actions of the main characters to that event, but this story peaks at possible actions of minor participants who worked behind the scenes go help bring about victory.
April 11, 2019
This book is the latest installment in Andrea Penrose’s excellent “chocolate” mystery series. I particularly appreciate her strong, capable female characters, Ariana and Sophia, who consistently rescue the men in their lives. Kudos. I can’t wait for the next installment.
June 20, 2019
i really enjoyed it...
the superhero thing is getting a little over the top. the obvious couples, a little obvious. good mystery and amazing historical detail. let them have faults and failures. the good guys do NOT always win. still gonna keep reading them...
the superhero thing is getting a little over the top. the obvious couples, a little obvious. good mystery and amazing historical detail. let them have faults and failures. the good guys do NOT always win. still gonna keep reading them...
August 1, 2019
Boring
This is the last book in the Lady Arianna Mystery series. I’m disappointed. The stories changed from mysteries to spy stories. The characters are humorless. Lady Arianna becomes acrobatic. I’m sick of chocolate and Napoleon.
This is the last book in the Lady Arianna Mystery series. I’m disappointed. The stories changed from mysteries to spy stories. The characters are humorless. Lady Arianna becomes acrobatic. I’m sick of chocolate and Napoleon.
June 29, 2020
good book. enjoyed it but I am really getting tired of all the typos or editorial misses. who edited this manuscript. The other books in the series were the same way with many mistakes.
I just put in the right tenses etc. and keep,Reading but find it bothersome.
I just put in the right tenses etc. and keep,Reading but find it bothersome.
September 2, 2020
Wow do I just want more of Arianna and Saybrook. Although we get more of them each book, it’s still not enough. I wanted there to be more drama with Paloma. They resolve their drama so easily and I just...want more emotion between them. But a solid read.
July 27, 2022
Excellent. I like, especially, all the rescues. :-) And am glad she didn't expand on the actual battle at Waterloo. I also am glad about the hope Sophia and Grentham embody. Paloma and daughter. British traitor. Etc.
March 3, 2023
I love how Andrea Penrose are strong, forthright, logical, AND filled with emotion. In other words, real. This book had even more strong female characters sorting out the problems at hand. This is definitely a mystery series to recommend.
February 17, 2020
Perfect for fans of Tracy Grant's books.
June 19, 2021
Fabulous
I'm truly enjoying this series! Every book in this series will keep you on the end of your seat! Enjoy
I'm truly enjoying this series! Every book in this series will keep you on the end of your seat! Enjoy
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