Set in a time when your honor and your word meant everything, the second novel in Bianca Schwarz’s The Gentleman Spy Mysteries series was both entertaining and intriguing.

Sir Henry is, unquestionably, a gentleman. But he’s not opposed to a little fun, especially if it helps to further his investigation of a mysterious organization thought to be kidnapping and murdering unsuspecting young women.

But, when his investigation takes him to Brighton, he meet the alluring, if not standoffish Isabella. And like any eligible gentleman, he has the good decency to fall in love.

What I liked:

This was such a fun read. I have not read the first book in the series, but no matter, this book stands well enough on it’s own. The characters were well developed, the storyline interesting and compelling, and any jaunt into the Regency era, with all of it’s finery and propriety, will always draw my attention. I liked the slow smolder of attraction between Sir Henry and Isabella and that the two, though fully accepted by society, still find a way to thumb their noses at all the pomp and circumstance.

There were plenty of places to laugh, and still others to sigh, in a very Regency era kind of way. There were a few places where the story slowed just a bit for me, but all in all, the story, the memorable and distinct cast of characters, and the masterful balance of risqué and scandalous themes set against the backdrop of one of my favorite historical time periods, earns this book a solid four stars.