Normally I take a break between the various entries in a mystery series, but I was so intrigued by the way the Earl of Wrexford slowly works his way into Charlotte Sloane's comfortable life that I found myself reading Andrea Penrose's Wrexford-Sloane mysteries back-to-back.

Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose

Publisher: Kensington Books, 2019
Genre: Adult, Mystery
Format: ebook

I really enjoy the Wrexford and Sloane mystery series by Andrea Penrose. The detectives are an unlikely pair, of course, that’s part of the charm. One half of the amateur detecting duo, Charlotte Sloane, maintains a secret identity as a satirical cartoonist who comments freely on the darker side of life in Regency London under the pen name A.J. Quill. Her on-again off-again detecting partner is the Earl of Wrexford, a scientist and an aristocrat.

The events in Murder at Kensington Palace take place immediately after a series of revelations about Charlotte’s own past puts her relationship with Wrexford on an uneasy footing. But when her cousin is murdered, and his twin brother blamed for it, Charlotte has no choice but to turn to Wrexford for help.

I typically read series in order, but I generally take a break between the individual books. I tell myself I do this for all kinds of reasons, but I suspect the truth is I’m just easily distractible. I have to-read shelves in pretty much every room of my house, and like to switch genres frequently. But I found myself reading Andrea Penrose’s three Wrexford-Sloane mysteries back-to-back one week, because I was intrigued by the way Penrose depicts the Earl’s steady encroachment into Charlotte’s comfortable world. I simply needed to know how these two very independent people would navigate the next step.

Related Links:

• What I learned about writing from reading all 19 Thomas Lynley mysteries in order (BostonWriters)
• More mysteries on BostonWriters

Note: I had originally posted this review as part of a round-up of several reviews from last October, but after looking at my blog's front page recently, I realized that it would be much easier for my visitors to find reviews of books they are interested in if I stick to a one-book-per-post-no-matter-how-short-the-review-is policy going forward. That way readers can scan the book covers on my blog's home page as if they were browsing a book store. So I reposted this as a solo book review.