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His heart pounding, the man scribbles the words in his notebook as fast as he can: "Woman dead in Highgate. Man in caped coat. Milky way and red streaks. I'm being followed."
Hours later, the man's cold body lies in the city mortuary, alongside the woman he couldn't save. And his sister, unconventional nurse Gemma Tate, tracks down troubled police inspector Sebastian Bell to unravel the truth.
Sebastian has enough pressure to solve the murder of an aristocratic heiress without Gemma meddling in his case. But the cryptic sentences she brings him from her brother's notebook could be a crucial lead. If only they knew what "milky way" meant. But as the trail of clues takes them away from the gilded drawing rooms of the nobility and into the dangerous slums of London, how far will their partnership be tested on the quest for justice, and will they both emerge unscathed?
Fans of Andrea Penrose, Deanna Raybourn and Miss Scarlet and the Duke will be hooked on this intricate, compelling mystery set in Victorian London.
"With its intricate mystery, richly crafted characters, and the promise of slow-burn romance as the series continues, this first installment in the Tate and Bell Mysteries is everything I love in a historical mystery. Irina Shapiro is an instant buy for me." Cara Devlin, author of the Bow Street Duchess mysteries
"A riveting historical mystery that captures the grit of Victorian London, with engaging characters, clever twists, and an unforgettable duo you'll want to follow straight to the next book in the series." Lana Williams, author of the Field & Graystone series
"Intriguing characters and an authentic setting, all wrapped up in the most cracking of who-done-its. Loved it!" Pam Lecky, author of the Lucy Lawrence mysteries