Lady Emily Ashton is back in her third episode of romantic suspense set in the Victorian world of mannerly gentlemen, conniving mothers, and scandals behind closed doors. Forced to join a group of socialites at the home of formidable and odious Lord Fortescue, whom she loathes (and whose daughter covets Emily’s fiancé, Colin Hargreaves), Emily and others in the party feel little regret when Fortescue is murdered. Unfortunately, her best friend’s husband, Robert, is arrested and imprisoned in the Tower, after witnesses confirm his fight with the victim. Resolved to exonerate Robert, Emily heads for Vienna on the killer’s trail. Austria proves rich with intrigue, and this portion of the story really shines as readers take a tour of nineteenth-century Vienna—its parties and its cafés—in the wintertime, shadowed by decidedly evil characters. Emily’s sparkling wit makes up for the somewhat convoluted plot and large cast of characters who move from England to the Continent and back at the slightest provocation. This is a captivating addition to the adventures of an irresistible Victorian iconoclast.

Russland, 1706. Unter unmenschlichen Bedingungen errichtet ein Heer von Leibeigenen, Handwerkern und Architekten Zar Peters neue Stadt: Sankt Petersburg! Als eine geheimnisvolle Tote aus der Newa geborgen wird, fällt der Verdacht auf den jungen Zimmermann Johannes, der sich bald in ein düsteres Intrigenspiel verstrickt sieht. Jemand will den Bau der Stadt verhindern. Das Leben des Zaren scheint in Gefahr. Dann begegnet Johannes eines Nachts der schönen Russalka und die Suche nach der Wahrheit wird zu einem Wettlauf um Leben und Tod.

An invalid for most her life, Alice James is quite used to people underestimating her. And she generally doesn't mind. But this time she is not about to let things alone. Yes, her brother Henry may be a famous author, and her other brother William a rising star in the new field of psychology. But when they all find themselves quite unusually involved in the chase for a most vile new murderer—one who goes by the chilling name of Jack the Ripper—Alice is certain of two things:

No one could be more suited to gather evidence about the nature of the killer than her brothers. But if anyone is going to correctly examine the evidence and solve the case, it will have to be up to her.