Murder at Somerset House by Andrea Penrose
#9 Wrexford and Sloane Mysteries
Historical Mystery
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 9.30.25
Pages: 368
Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Sellers: Amazon
ADD TO: GoodReads
GoodReads Synopsis:
Beyond the gilded ballrooms and salons of Regency London lurks a sinister web of intrigue and deception, and when a murder occurs within the scientific community, Lord Wrexford and Charlotte are the perfect pair to unravel it . . .
A welcome interlude of calm has descended on Wrexford and Charlotte, though with three lively young boys in their care and an unconventional circle of friends and allies, quiet rarely lasts long. And sure enough, in the dead of night, an old acquaintance appears and asks for help. His
brother-in-law has been accused of murdering a fellow member of the prestigious Royal Society at their London headquarters, Somerset House.
Wrexford agrees to investigate, and with a little unexpected help from their young charges, discovers that what seemed a simple case may be part of a darker, more dangerous plot, where science, money, and politics collide. A mysterious new technical innovation threatens to ignite a crisis throughout Europe, with frightening consequences for London’s financial world.
There is also personal upheaval for Wrexford and Charlotte, when a shocking secret from the past brings a profound change to their family, testing the bonds of loyalty and trust as never before . . .
Sophia Rose's Review:
When a controversial, innovative scientist on the cusp of demonstrating his new experimental breakthrough is murdered, the very security of the nation may be at stake for Lord and Lady Wrexford to solve the mystery of his death. Andrea Penrose’s dark, fascinating Regency Era mysteries continue to tantalize and engage even nine books into the series.
Murder at Somerset House presents a new standalone mystery, but also has a shocking answer to a personal mystery that has been ongoing throughout the series. There is a rich warmth of family connectedness that has built from book one as Wrex and Charlotte, the Weasels and their extended friends and family forge a found family and detecting partnership so these are amazing when read in order.
As usual, Andrea Penrose not only delivers a cunning murder mystery to solve, but wraps it in historical interest pieces of the day like the scientific exploration of electric-magnetism, early telegraphs, early stock market, economics, and also the political intrigue of Napolean’s 100 Days.
I found it fascinating how the mathematics that Raven and their friends, Kit and Cordelia work to flummox a French plot just as Wrex, Charlotte, and the others use all their talents to solve the murder. But, between all that a new personal matter comes to light and I was on pins and needles to see how much drama it would stir up and there is always the tension happening when Wrex and Charlotte doubt their decision to let their family in on the hunt when lethal danger is involved. It will be interesting to see how this alters things going forward with the series. The suspense built to a taut climax and then a satisfying end.
A solid series that remains strong and worth recommending to historical mystery fans.
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Author Bio:
I began my writing career at age five, creating a number of Westerns lavishly illustrated with crayon drawings of horses and cowboys. However, I have since moved on to Regency England, an era that has fascinated me ever since I picked up a copy of Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice. (Clearly I have a thing for Men in Boots.)
Books have always been an important part of my life. I have always been a voracious reader, and I have always had a very vivid imagination . . . so much so that I think at times it worried my parents that I was so happy in my own little world, drawing pictures and creating stories. My teachers will also tell you that I was the class history geek, even in grade school. I don’t really know why, but I have always been fascinated with the past.
As an undergrad at Yale, I majored in art—though I took enough history courses to have majored in that subject as well—and went on to get a MFA in Graphic Design at the Yale School of Art, concentrating in publication design. So I guess you could say I have always had a left brain-right brain sort of love affair with the printed page.
So why did I choose the Regency time period for my mysteries? I love the era because it was such a fabulously interesting time and place—it was a world aswirl in silks, seduction and the intrigue of the Napoleonic Wars. Radical new ideas were clashing with the conventional thinking of the past, and as a result, people were challenging and changing the fundamentals of their society. For example, you had Beethoven composing emotional symphonies, Byron composing wildly romantic poetry about individual angst, J.M.W. Turner dabbling in impressionistic watercolors and Mary Wollstonecraft writing the first feminist manifestos . . .
In so many ways, it was the birth of the modern world, and for me, its challenges, its characters and its conflicts have such relevance to our own times . . . and hey, who can resist men in breeches and boots!
Website: https://www.andreapenrose.com/
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
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