Murder at the Merton Library
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4.5 • 111 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
For fans of Miss Scarlet and the Duke and Bridgerton—a masterfully plotted mystery that combines engaging protagonists with rich historical detail and “an unusually rich look at Regency life,” (Publishers Weekly), plus a touch of romance that readers of Amanda Quick and Deanna Raybourn will savor.
Responding to an urgent plea from a troubled family friend, the Earl of Wrexford journeys to Oxford only to find the reclusive university librarian has been murdered and a rare manuscript has gone missing. The only clue is that someone overheard an argument in which Wrexford’s name was mentioned.
At the same time, Charlotte—working under her pen name, A. J. Quill—must determine whether a laboratory fire was arson and if it’s connected to the race between competing consortiums to build a new type of ship—one that can cross the ocean powered by steam rather than sails—with the potential to revolutionize military power and world commerce. That the race involves new innovations in finance and entrepreneurship only adds to the high stakes—especially as their good friend Kit Sheffield may be an investor in one of the competitors.
As they delve deeper into the baffling clues, Wrexford and Charlotte begin to realize that things are not what they seem. An evil conspiracy is lurking in the shadows and threatens all they hold dear—unless they can tie the loose threads together before it’s too late . . .
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A scientific innovation stokes deadly rivalries in Penrose's engrossing seventh Regency-era whodunit featuring the Earl of Wrexford and cartoonist Charlotte Sloane (following 2022's Murder at the Serpentine Bridge). Distraught librarian Neville Greeley summons his family friend Wrexford to Oxford with a cryptic letter. Shortly before Wrexford arrives, however, a mysterious stranger stabs Greeley to death at his desk. After Wrexford discovers Greeley's body, he launches an investigation in London, where his wife, Charlotte, is looking into a mystery of her own: a suspicious fire has destroyed the laboratory of inventor Henry Maudslay, who was on the cusp of building a ship that could cross the ocean powered by steam rather than sails. British naval operatives, German researchers, and Russian spies were all keenly interested in Maudslay's research, but who would want to stop it? And might that same perpetrator be involved in Greeley's murder? Penrose's sprawling cast can be difficult to keep straight, but she rewards diligent readers with a pulse-pounding climax, and her deep dive into early 18th-century technology is a treat. In the crowded field of Regency mysteries, this series stands out.
Customer Reviews
Almost put it down
Because details about steam engines and related topics became tedious to read as I didn’t understand the concepts. The story finally became interesting to me about a quarter of the way through, then moved at a quick pace.