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About The Book

“Mixing Romance and Mystery in a Fizzy 1930s Cocktail!”


In this seventh book of the series, Clive and Henrietta return to England to find Castle Linley in financial ruin. When Clive’s cousin, Wallace, invites an estate agent in to assess the home’s value, the agent is later found poisoned, throwing all of the Castle’s guests into suspicion. Clive and Henrietta are soon drawn into an investigation, which is slowed by an incompetent local inspector and several unexplained phenomena—the cause of which many, especially the frail Lady Linley, believe to be the workings of the ghost of a hanged maid.

Meanwhile, Gunther and Elsie have begun life on a farm in Omaha. Circumstances are difficult, but they are content—until Oldrich Exely appears, proposing an option Elsie finds difficult to ignore. Melody Merriweather, still masquerading as a nun to aid Elsie’s escape, likewise finds it difficult to ignore a letter with tragic news from home, while Julia, on the other hand, receives a very different sort of letter from Glenn Forbes.

Back in England, Clive is called away to London on suspicious business, leaving Henrietta to carry on with the investigation alone. When she is mysteriously locked in the study one night, however, things take on a more deadly, supernatural feel, leaving her to fear that Lady Linley's “ghost” might just be real after all…

About The Author

Michelle Cox is the author of the multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series as well as “Novel Notes of Local Lore,” a weekly blog dedicated to Chicago’s forgotten residents. She suspects she may have once lived in the 1930s and, having yet to discover a handy time machine lying around, has resorted to writing about the era as a way of getting herself back there. Coincidentally, her books have been praised by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and many others, so she might be on to something. Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn’t have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade.

Product Details

  • Publisher: She Writes Press (October 24, 2023)
  • Length: 360 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781647425982

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Raves and Reviews

2024 Shelf Unbound Indie Book Awards, Longlisted
2024 CIBA Grand Prize winner in Mystery & Mayhem
2024 CIBA First Place winner in Clue
2024 Illinois Women's Press, First Place for Adult Fiction

2024 National Indie Excellence Awards Winner in Mystery
2024 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorite in Mystery
2023 Chanticleer International Book Awards Grand Prize Winner in The M&M Book Awards

2023 Chanticleer International Book Awards Winner in The Clue Book Awards

For A Girl Like You:

“Michelle Cox masterfully recreates 1930s Chicago, bringing to life its diverse neighborhoods and eclectic residents, as well as its seedy side. Henrietta and Inspector Howard are the best pair of sleuths I’ve come across in ages—Cox makes us care not just about the case but also about her characters. A fantastic start to what is sure to be a long-running series.”
—Tasha Alexander, New York Times best-selling author of The Lady Emily Mysteries

“Fans of spunky, historical heroines will love Henrietta Von Harmon.”
Booklist, starred review

“Flavored with 1930s slang and fashion, this first volume in what one hopes will be a long series is absorbing. Henrietta and Clive are a sexy, endearing, and downright fun pair of sleuths. Readers will not see the final twist coming.”
Library Journal, starred review

For A Ring of Truth:

“An engaging and effective romp rich with historical details.”
Kirkus Reviews

“Set in the 1930s, this romantic mystery combines the teetering elegance of Downton Abbey and the staid traditions of Pride and Prejudice with a bit of spunk and determination that suggest Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs.”
Booklist

“Henrietta and Inspector Howard make a charming odd couple in A Ring of Truth, mixing mystery and romance in a fizzy 1930s cocktail.”
—Hallie Ephron, New York Times best-selling author

For A Promise Given:

“Cox’s eye for historical detail remains sharp. . . . A pleasant, escapist diversion.”
Kirkus Reviews

“The mix of sleuthing and aristocratic life pairs well with Rhys Bowen’s Royal Spyness series.”
Booklist

“Series fans will cheer the beginning of Clive and Henrietta’s private investigation business in an entry with welcome echoes of Pride and Prejudice.”
Publishers Weekly

For A Veil Removed:

“Entertaining . . . composed of large dollops of romance and a soupçon of mystery, this confection will appeal!”
Publishers Weekly

“This is a wonderfully written, engaging story with excellent character treatment and a thrilling mystery.”
—IBPA, Independent Book Publishers Association

“Cox draws textured visuals of a 1930s Chicago mansion replete with cherrywood drink carts, embroidered goose down pillows, brand new wireless radios, Worth gowns, Rothschild coats, and the music of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey. It puts us back in the romantically turbulent 1930s Chicago. This engaging story charms us.”
BookTrib

For A Child Lost:

“. . . vivid, descriptive prose and historical accuracy.”
Publishers Weekly

“Michelle Cox’s delightful storytelling has a bewitching charm that will keep readers glued to their seats with a perfect blend of absorbing historical facts, intriguing mystery, and thrilling romance.”
Readers Favorite

“Once again, Cox delivers the passion and intrigue of Henrietta and Clive with a story that leaps right off the page. A Child Lost is a true thrill . . .”
Paperback Paris

For A Spying Eye:


“A fun and spunky heroine and a plot involving an old castle in Strasbourg make this a fast-paced, delightful read.”
—Rhys Bowen, New York Times best-selling author

“An exciting mystery with engaging characters. It kept me guessing to the end!”
—Clare Broyles, coauthor of Wild Irish Rose

“This book is an excellent read for historical romance and historical mystery fans. The author does a beautiful job transporting readers to another time and place.”
—Angela Thompson, Vine Voice

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More books from this author: Michelle Cox