Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens
Ratings4
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings4
Average rating3.8
A USA Today bestseller! “[Penrose] mixes well-thought out mysteries, early forensic science, great details of the era and a slow burning attraction creating a compulsive read.” —The New York Public Library A thrilling new mystery novel from the acclaimed author of Murder at Queen’s Landing, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Anne Perry! In the fifth installment of Andrea Penrose’s acclaimed, atmospheric mystery series, the upcoming marriage of the Earl of Wrexford and Lady Charlotte Sloane promises to be a highlight of the season, if they can first untangle—and survive—a web of intrigue and murder involving the most brilliant scientific minds in Regency London… One advantage of being caught up in a whirl of dress fittings and decisions about flower arrangements and breakfast menus is that Charlotte Sloane has little time for any pre-wedding qualms. Her love for Wrexford isn’t in question. But will being a wife—and a Countess—make it difficult for her to maintain her independence—not to mention, her secret identity as famed satirical artist A.J. Quill? Despite those concerns, there are soon even more urgent matters to attend to during Charlotte and Wrexford’s first public outing as an engaged couple. At a symposium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, a visiting botanist suffers a fatal collapse. The traces of white powder near his mouth reveal the dark truth—he was murdered. Drawn into the investigation, Charlotte and the Earl learn of the victim’s involvement in a momentous medical discovery. With fame and immense fortune at stake, there’s no shortage of suspects, including some whose ruthlessness is already known. But neither Charlotte nor her husband-to-be can realize how close the danger is about to get—or to what lengths this villain is prepared to go . . .
Reviews with the most likes.
I struggle to rate this series because, while I enjoy it, I am not a fan of the writing itself so I find myself torn. The history, plots, and characters I love. The words I read on the page? Meh.
The text tends to be redundant, with some exceptions grades and concepts being repeated over and over ad nauseum, like Latin phrases (see what I did there?), the power of love and friendship, and the war between logic and intuition. Sometimes different characters think the exact same thing in almost the exact same wording, which seems odd. They can't all have the same perspective and it would be nice to have some disagreement.
Nonetheless, I rated this one four stars because, of all the ones I've read in this series, this one felt like the best. Still, I only pick this series up when I am looking for an easy read to pick up next.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I enjoyed this one quite a lot. I found it to be well written and well paced (mostly...It dragged a bit towards the end). I loved the setting and time period. The plot was intriguing and kept me guessing. The characters were well developed and likable. My only complaint, and this may be because I have read none of the other books in the series, but I found the “romance” between Charlotte and Wrexford to be dull. They had zero on page chemistry.
Featured Series
7 primary booksWrexford & Sloane is a 7-book series with 7 primary works first released in 2017 with contributions by Andrea Penrose.
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