Zoie, who in Regency times is old enough to be considered a spinster, lives with her widowed mother on a small estate next to the large estate of Lord Weylin, whose family is extremely wealthy and extremely snobbish. Zoie, an artist, decides that the tower room where her late uncle used to live will be perfect as an art studio. While clearing out the room, she finds a diamond necklace and she recognizes it as the necklace which was stolen from Lord Weylin's family five years ago. How did this necklace come into her uncle's possession? There is only one thing to do; she must visit Lord Weylin's mother (a very indolent woman who dotes on her obnoxious dog) and stash the necklace somewhere in her house to be found by Lord Weylin's family later. When she arrives for her visit, Lord Weylin happens to be home. He is very suspicious by this sudden visit from a neighbor he hardly knows (he hardly knows any of his neighbors, as most are so far below him socially). After he catches Zoie in the room where he keeps his collection of valuable Chinese vases (she is thinking of dropping the necklace in a vase), he thinks she is trying to steal one of his vases and therefore demands to see what she is hiding. Realizing her predicament, she reveals all and the search to solve this mystery begins. The growing romance between Weylin and Zoie is delightful, zany, and full of the witty dialogue for which Joan Smith is famous. Finally the secondary characters, like the Irish drama queen housekeeper and a thieving scoundrel of a butler provided hilarious moments.

Share/Like this Review?