And Dangerous to Know
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3.8 • 4 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
When the ladies of the ton of Regency London need discreet assistance, they turn to Rosalind Thorne—in these mysteries inspired by the novels of Jane Austen . . .
Trust is a delicate thing, and no one knows that better than Rosalind Thorne. Lady Melbourne has entrusted her with recovering a packet of highly sensitive private letters stolen from her desk. The contents of these letters hold great interest for the famous poet Lord Byron, who had carried on a notorious public affair with Lady Melbourne's daughter-in-law, the inconveniently unstable Lady Caroline Lamb. Rosalind is to take up residence in Melbourne House, posing as Lady Melbourne's confidential secretary. There, she must discover the thief and regain possession of the letters before any further scandal erupts.
However, Lady Melbourne omits a crucial detail. Rosalind learns from the Bow Street runner Adam Harkness that an unidentified woman was found dead in the courtyard of Melbourne House. The coroner has determined that she was poisoned. Adam urges Rosalind to use her new position in the household to help solve the murder. As she begins to untangle a web of secrets and blackmail, Rosalind finds she must risk her own life to bring this desperate business to an end . . .
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in Regency England, Wilde's captivating third Rosalind Thorne mystery (after 2017's A Purely Private Matter) finds Lady Melbourne in need of some discreet help recovering letters regarding Lord Byron, the notorious poet, that were apparently stolen from Melbourne House in London. Rosalind, an heiress of reduced means, moves into Melbourne House, where she poses as Lady Melbourne's secretary, to this end. The scandalous letters disappeared just as Lord Byron was seeking to take possession of them after a long affair with Lady Melbourne's daughter-in-law, Lady Caroline Lamb. Meanwhile, the endearing Adam Harkness, a Bow Street runner who's sweet on Rosalind, seeks her keen eye in solving the murder of a young woman found just outside the Melbourne House gates. The astute Rosalind soon learns everyone is protecting a secret and isn't even sure whether she can trust her employer. Wilde smoothly mixes historical figures and events into a plot that's sure to keep readers turning the pages to see what happens next. Regency fans will be charmed.
