February 10, 2020
Set in 1815, Schellman’s enjoyable debut and series launch introduces widow Lily Adler, who has moved to London from Hertfordshire. The night she arrives, she attends a ball at the lavish home of Lady Serena Walter, a former schoolmate. She’s escorted by naval captain Jack Hartley, her late husband’s closest friend, and introduced to London society, including West Indian heiress Ofelia Oswald. Out for a breather in the garden, Lily overhears two men arguing and then a gunshot. The dead man is Augustus Finch, a working-class West Indian suitor of Ofelia who has followed her to London, vowing he will soon be rich. When Lily sees Lord Walter pay a magistrate to suppress the inquiry, she fears that the nobleman is involved in the crime and feels compelled to investigate. After evidence in Finch’s rooms suggests that he was blackmailing someone powerful, the shrewd Ofelia and effervescent Jack join Lily in the hunt for the culprit. Schellman’s colorful detective trio and skillful use of historical fact will appeal to fans of Catherine Lloyd. Agent: Whitney Ross, Irene Goodman Literary.