Sophia Rose Reviews: Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose

Today Sophia Rose is back with her review of Murder at Kensington Palace, Andrea Penrose's #3 in her Wrexford and Sloane series. Read on to see what she loves about this author and this series.
Enjoy!

Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose

#3 Wrexford and Sloane

Historical Mystery

Publisher: Kensington

Published:  9.24.19

Pages:  387

Rating: 4.5 stars

Format: ebook

Source:  purchased

Sellers:  Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

 

Goodreads Blurb:

Wrexford and Sloane must unravel secrets within secrets—including a few that entangle their own hearts—when they reunite to solve a string of shocking murders that have horrified Regency London...

Though Charlotte Sloane’s secret identity as the controversial satirical cartoonist A.J. Quill is safe with the Earl of Wrexford, she’s ill prepared for the rippling effects sharing the truth about her background has cast over their relationship. She thought a bit of space might improve the situation. But when her cousin is murdered and his twin brother is accused of the gruesome crime, Charlotte immediately turns to Wrexford for help in proving the young man’s innocence. Though she finds the brooding scientist just as enigmatic and intense as ever, their partnership is now marked by an unfamiliar tension that seems to complicate every encounter.

Despite this newfound complexity, Wrexford and Charlotte are determined to track down the real killer. Their investigation leads them on a dangerous chase through Mayfair’s glittering ballrooms and opulent drawing rooms, where gossip and rumors swirl to confuse the facts. Was her cousin murdered over a romantic rivalry . . . or staggering gambling debts? Or could the motive be far darker and involve the clandestine scientific society that claimed both brothers as members? The more Charlotte and Wrexford try to unknot the truth, the more tangled it becomes. But they must solve the case soon, before the killer’s madness seizes another victim...

 

Sophia Rose's Review

Lord Wrexford and Mrs. Sloane find themselves pairing up once again when a hideous murder is too close to home for Charlotte and the clock is ticking down on saving the one accused of murder.  Regency Era murder mysteries with a blend of science and art, bevy of engaging characters, slow-burn romance and well-crafted plots draw me in each time.

 

Murder at Kensington Palace is the third in the series that could be read standalone in a pinch, but with ongoing series plot threads related to the relationships developing, works best read in order.

 

Not surprisingly, after the big moment of understanding and the kiss when they survived their last adventure and long with her surprise reveal about her past, Wrexford and Mrs. Sloane pull back and need some time to regroup.  There is a crackling tension between them as a result.

 

Meanwhile, a gathering of scientific minds at the Royal Duke of Sussex’s party ends in a grisly murder that bears some resemblance to a couple earlier murders where the killer took away a slice of their victim.  Except this time, the victim is an aristocrat and has a twin brother accused of the crime.  Charlotte Sloane knows both and rushes in to get the proof.  Wrexford isn’t as certain of the living twin’s innocence, but won’t let her go it alone.

 

The now familiar blend of their personalities and talents- his for science and hers for art are employed.  Their serving staff of Tyler and McClellan, his friend Sheffield and the two street boys she adopted are all working together.  This case focuses on the grisly science of combining biology with electricity which was real back in the day- trying to reanimate the dead using electricity.  The case was cunning, but I confess that I worked it out rather easily once I had enough to go on.  Charlotte pulled a rash stunt that brought things to a head (though the killer made it clear that they were gunning for Charlotte either way).  So thrilling and just the taunt suspense side to the plot I’ve come to appreciate.

 

But, there was also Charlotte’s need to take her place in society once again.  She’s been pondering the inevitability that she must face her past and all aspects of who she really is instead of hiding away.  This new desperate case just accelerates that so she must put it in motion sooner.  She wants to hold onto the hard-fought for independence and woman she has become even as she returns to the aristocratic world she fled before.  Can she have both?  She meets a few women who are trying to blaze that trail and I hope we see one of them again in future books since Sheffield had a soft spot for her.

 

Progress is also made as Wrexford and Charlotte progress toward an understanding of what they have between them.  Though with her desperate need to stand on her own, I don’t see that going too quickly or easily.

 

All in all, it read quickly because I really love the author’s world, characters, and plot.  Historical Mystery fans have to give this colorful and addicting series a go.

 

Author Bio:

Andrea 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.

Sophia’s Bio:

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments, restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sophia.rose.7587

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose