Helpful Score: 6
This is book three in the Lady Aston series. What begins as a tedious weekend in the country, for Emily, Lady Aston and her fiance Colin Hargreaves, changes dramatically. The politically powerful Lord Fortescue is murdered and the husband of Emily's friend, Ivy, is accused of his murder. It is going to depend upon Emily, and a trip to Vienna, to set matters right. Alexander brings back my favorite characters from the previous books and deepens Emily and Colin's characters and relationship by bringing in new characters from Colin's past and providing us with some devilish new antagonists. And, as always, I learned more about the customs of the period and the clothing and housing details are great fun.
Helpful Score: 4
Spies, murders, society and the 19th century: who else but Tasha Alexander can do this so well. Never slipping into a banal love story, but not short on romance, this book is full of detail from the time in which it is drawn. From the glitzy balls of the London Season to the filth of the slums, I felt totally encompassed by the times and the customs, not to mention the fashions! Loved this book best of the Emily Ashton series.
