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Murder on Black Swan Lane
Murder on Black Swan Lane
Murder on Black Swan Lane
Audiobook11 hours

Murder on Black Swan Lane

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. He does not suffer fools gladly. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back. As their war of words escalates, London's most popular satirical cartoonist, A. J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a church-his face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to ear-and Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect.

An artist in her own right, Charlotte Sloane has secretly slipped into the persona of her late husband, using his nom de plume A. J. Quill. When Wrexford discovers her true identity, she fears it will be her undoing. But he has a proposal-use her sources to unveil the clergyman's clandestine involvement in questionable scientific practices, and unmask the real murderer. Soon Lord Wrexford and the mysterious Mrs. Sloane plunge into a dangerous shadow world hidden among London's intellectual enclaves to trap a cunning adversary-before they fall victim to the next experiment in villainy . . .
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 27, 2017
ISBN9781681686141
Murder on Black Swan Lane

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Reviews for Murder on Black Swan Lane

Rating: 3.8892046147727273 out of 5 stars
4/5

176 ratings20 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was not great, but I’m still going to try the next in the series. Sometimes series improve considerably as they go along. I didn’t love either of the main characters, the hero was kind of an ass a little too frequently, and the heroine felt like she’d been written by a stereotypical man. Not that she was physically objectified, she’s just kind of minimized in general and not that special. She didn’t feel like an equal to the hero but a bit like a secondary character who just got more page time. It’s both their names in the series title though, so maybe she’ll still come into her own in the later books.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoy mysteries, and I enjoy books set during the Regency. This was the first time I read a book combining the two elements. I enjoyed it. The mystery was interesting, and I hadn't figured out who the murderer was.I liked the two main characters and look forward to learning more about each of them (Sloane seems to have an especially complicated past). I'm also interested to see how their paths will next cross and how their friendship will develop.I will definitely be continuing on with this series soon.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I was very happy to become acquainted with this author's work. I certainly found the story intriguing despite some quite rocky plot development. My main quibble was Penrose's inclination to muddy the narrative with essentially two unrelated mysteries which, in my view, clashed as far as a plot device. Characterization was fun and I liked my time getting to know the female protagonist, a satirical illustrator, A.J. Quill, with her two adopted street urchins. However, it took me about half the book to warm up to the Earl of Wrexford. This part of the story ran very unevenly, requiring too much accommodation to facets of Wrexford as an aristocrat versus the gentleman sleuth consorting with the mysterious Mrs. Sloane a.k.a. 'A.J. Quill'.I also longed for evidence of an editor. Too often 'hubris' and 'the pot calling the kettle black' were words used to excess. As well, towards the dénouement, unravelling the main murder mystery and the lesser plot (an earlier crime) became too confused to be worthy of interrupting this suspenseful reading. I'll look for some better plotting in Book 2.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This promising start to the Wrexford & Sloane series features a member of London's aristocracy partnering with "political" cartoonist/satirist and a couple of street children she's "adopted" to solve a crime for which Lord Wrexford himself is suspected by some of committing. The author spends a lot of time developing the characters of Lord Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane and the two orphans. Charlotte adopted the pen name of her late husband A. J. Quill when he died because she needed the income brought in by his work. Set in London's Regency period, the Bow Street Runner seems determined to put Wrexford behind bars for the death of a man with whom he had been sparring publicly in the papers. The mystery focuses on the developing science of chemistry as well as the darker art of alchemy. This one was slow to start but once it got going, it held my attention.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A new series is off to a very good start. Some very interesting characters; a Lord, a Lady scrivener? and her pair of preteen street smart protectors team up when several brutal murders occur. Espionage, forged art, and alchemy make for interesting chemistry during these early days of scientific inquiry.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Enjoyable, above average historical mystery. I did like both of the main characters.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is one of those books that I liked in spite of demonstrable problems; a good example of when characters can overcome the flaws in a plot. Lord Wrexford is an accomplished chemist and has the means to devote his time to it in the privacy of his own home. He has a rather black reputation, although it's never specified why; only off hand references that include womanising, a disrespect of protocol, and a dismissive attitude about social conventions. He has a valet named Tyler that acts as his lab assistant and all-around Bunter, only with a sharper tongue. I like Tyler. Mrs. Sloane is the widow of the famous satirist A.J. Quill. An even better artist than her late husband, she secretly picks up his pen after his death to stave off certain penury; she also allows two homeless waifs known only as Raven and Hawk to shelter in her downstairs, feeding them when she can, and attempting to educate them and give them a bit of polish. Mrs. Sloane is up to her eye-balls in secrets, her new profession seeming to be the least of them. She reads and speaks Latin, and has a copy of DeBrett's in her desk drawer. Half this book's weight is comprised of hints about Mrs. Sloane. Wrexford has been verbally and publicly sparring with an influential member of the church. When the man is found dead with chemical burns on his face and his throat slit, Wrexford is the obvious suspect and is set upon by a Bow Street Runner. And all the while Quill has been faithfully satirising the events, with details that are frighteningly accurate. Wrexford sets out to find out who the mysterious Quill is, and when he does, strikes a bargain with her: His continued silence in exchange for access to her information network in order to prove his innocence. So far, so good. Even though this isn't a new premise, I can't help but get sucked in. Unfortunately Penrose's plot doesn't really work. It's two different plots that she attempted to merge into one with a single weak scene. What could have been a very tight and gripping plot ended up being undermined by the forced connection, and left clunky and underwhelming. This, combined with much too heavy-handed hints about Mrs. Sloane's 'mysterious' past resulted in a book that was good, but not great, and only mildly entertaining when it could have come closer to edge-of-your-seat stuff. Penrose also qualifies for the dubious award for most overused idiom. I love the phrase "pot calling the kettle black", but using it a dozen times in the same book is an excessive display of exuberance. Still, Penrose has put together a great cast of characters and I'm interested in finding out what happens to them next. I'm hoping, too, that subsequent books (there's at least 1 more out now, and 1 planned, I think) will see her finding her groove and writing stronger stories.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Murder on Black Swan Lane is a mystery set in Regency London. I thought I would love it. I liked it a lot, and I will read at least one of the sequels, but I am not racing off to binge-read the books.The Earl of Wrexford is the brilliant scientist who teams up with artist and keen observer Charlotte Sloane. She is publishing satirical art under her husband's pseudonym A. J. Quill. Since she is a widow, it is how she earns her bread and butter, as well as sometimes helping two Cockney urchins.The mystery was decent, although it got bogged down with the alchemical background. What moved it down to four stars is the language failings. Sometimes anachronisms crept in and were too jarring. And sometimes it felt as though the action were taking place in Victorian London rather than during the Regency period. Combined, the problems threw me out of the novel quite thoroughly.Recommended for those who enjoy historical mysteries.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very enjoyable. Tricky mystery with great characters.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Eh. It was an interesting read but I feel the CS Harris Series, set during the same time, is a more superior series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In Regency London after the Reverend Josiah Holworthy, from his pulpit, attacks the Earl of Wrexford, the Earl becomes the only suspect when Holworthy is found dead. Griffin, a Bow Street runner starts to investigate. But with the help of the popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, Wrexford is determined to find the guilty party.
    Very enjoyable, a well-written mystery with some lovely characters, most of whom I hope to read about in the next book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was enjoyable, and in places the humour reminded me of Georgette Heyer. I liked all the lead characters, and I see that this is the first in a series, so presumably Charlotte's past will eventually be revealed. The whole secret chemistry/alchemy plot thing began to wear on me after a while, and I skimmed the last quarter, which was a bit of a string of action scenes. There were a few anachronistic Americanism expressions, but otherwise it felt fairly authentic.I don't think this series is really for me, but I can see that it is deservedly popular.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Duke of Wrexford is searching for the editorial cartoonish who has put a spotlight on him and for the murder of Reverend Holoworthy. He follows two small orphan ruffians who deliver the sketches and learns that A.J. Quill is a woman, a widow of an artist, Mrs. Charlotte Sloane. Another murder, and they team up to find out what's happening with the secret society “Ancients” who lured Charlotte’s husband with promises of fame and most likely murdered him and now are murdering others over some secret formulas. Exciting rescue at the end of the book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose is a 2017 Kensington publication. A thrilling new Regency period mystery series-A.J. Quills is a political satirist, sketching scathing cartoons, which often make his subjects squirm. However, most people are unaware that A.J. Quills is not at all the person they believe him to be. When the Earl of Wrexford becomes the primary suspect in a murder investigation, he is unnerved by Quill’s sketches, which would suggest the artist was either on the scene of the crime or has inside information. Once his informers have located the enigmatic cartoonist, Wrexford is surprised to make the acquaintance of Charlotte Sloane. Seeing his advantage, Wrexford agrees to keep her secret, if she will help him clear his name. Thus, begins an uneasy alliance between the pair. But, as the mystery behind the murder deepens, suggesting a secret club could be responsible, Charlotte and Wrexford become a solid, if unlikely, detective team. Andrea Penrose is the pseudonym for Cara Elliott and Andrea Pickens, who has written a fair amount of Regency period romance novels. Now, she is exploring the darker side of the era, with this atmospheric mystery, chock full of intrigue and sinister goings on. Scientific experiments, secret clubs, occult rituals, reveal the underbelly of London society, but could also be linked to the death of Charlotte’s husband. The plot is complex and there is quite a lot going on. The story is not hard to follow, but I did find myself slowing down and reading more carefully to be sure I was understanding all the various threads and intrigues. This feels like a pretty ambitious undertaking, and has some rocky moments here and there, but overall, this is a very impressive beginning to a new series. Penrose obviously knows her history, having researched this era for quite some time, but I must say the underside of aristocracy is a much more fertile ground to explore. While I enjoy Penrose’s stories from the lighter side of the Regency era, this is a much more interesting type of story, and is far more challenging. I am happy Penrose has taken a break from an overly saturated sub-genre and spread her creative wings a little. I hope this series catches on, as I do think it shows a great deal of promise. 4 stars
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Earl of Wrexford has been engaging in a war of words with the Reverend Josiah Holworthy. Wrexford is a scientist and Holworthy doesn't hold with those new-fangled ideas. When Holworthy is found murdered with his face burned by acid and his throat cut, Wrexford becomes suspect number one for Bow Street runner Griffin.Wrexford has to put aside his boredom and clear his name. It seems that noted cartoonist A. J. Quill has an uncanny knowledge of the crime and Wrexford is determined to locate him and find out how he knows.Charlotte Sloane, a woman of great mystery, has taken on the identity of A. J. Quill after the death of her artist husband. She has quite a network of servants and children who bring her information. She has taken in two young street boys Raven and Hawk who help her find her information and run her drawings to the publisher. She isn't rich but the popularity of the cartoons has increased her income substantially. Wrexford does manage to track her down and together they piece together the facts that led to the death of Holworthy and a scientist at the Royal Institution. It turns out that her husband's death is also linked to the same mysterious conspiracy.I loved the Regency setting. I also loved that it was clear that it was a time of great change with science becoming more accepted - although it is still something done by many gentleman who have the funds and leisure to pursue it. I liked both main characters who were interesting people full of secrets. I would have loved to know more about Wrexford and Charlotte's pasts. The mystery was interesting and both Wrexford and Charlotte brought their unique skills and talents to solving it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It is refreshing to read a story set in Regency London that is not totally populated by members of the haute ton and their servants. Characters in Murder on Black Swan Lane include members of high society, but also a widow who works to support herself, scientists, and street children.

    This is a straight-on murder mystery. If you are looking for romantic elements, look elsewhere. The first murder--there are two--occurs in the prologue, and most of the action revolves around not only unmasking the killer, but proving that the Earl of Wrexford is not the murderer. The earl must match wits with Charlotte Sloane, a widow who has assumed the pseudonym A. J. Quill used by her late husband as she draws satirical cartoons that skewer high society. They eventually work together to solve the murders, along with a doctor who is a mutual friend and two young brothers, street children who Charlotte has brought into her home. In the process, they also answer questions about the mysterious death of Charlotte's husband.

    There are numerous twists to the plot, which kept my interest throughout. Many of the clues involve chemistry and chemical reactions, and these are handled well. There are also accurate discussions of the links between alchemy and early science, and the interests of scientists such as Newton in alchemy. There is some sly humor and engaging secondary characters, such as the valet/lab assistant Tyler, the earl's friend Sheffield, and Henning, the doctor.

    Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The ending felt as if it was setting up a series, raising the possibility that the earl and Charlotte could investigate together again. I would be delighted to read another book about these characters.

    Based on an advanced reader copy of Murder on Black Swan Lane.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a good book that kept me hooked and entertained from beginning to end. Be aware that this is a series and you will not want the book to end!

    My thanks to netgalley and Kensington Books for this advanced readers copy.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Alchemy, arcane arts and murder!Reading the first couple of pages of this new series I gave a 'Ho Hum'. Except, those Ho's and Hum's soon turned into 'Oh My's. All I can say is that this new Regency Mystery is masterful--a page turner!The Earl of Wrexford, a brilliant man of science, doesn't suffer fools gladly and has been carrying on a damning, acerbic public conversation with the Reverend Josiah Holworthy.When Holworthy is found with his throat cut and his face disfigured by chemicals, the Earl is suspected of his murder. His case is not helped by the cleverly penned caricatures from the caustic artist A.J. Quill that hit the London streets featuring the very public fight between the two men.Widowed Charlotte Sloane is a talented and clever caricaturist always looking for someone to skewer with her rapier pen work in broadsheet illustrations, created under the name of A.J. Quill, the public name used by her late husband.When the Earl and Charlotte meet, their combined aim is to find who the murder is and how that ties into the use of chemicals. Arcane practices rear their head. Their search for information on the various chemical compounds in relationship to alchemy is fascinating, as is the fact that Newton apparently was interested in this study.Charlotte is somewhat mysterious, including how come she understands Latin, (maybe that will become more evident in the future). Who is her mysterious friend Jeremy who has access into the ton?There is a plethora of fascinating secondary characters. Tyler, Wrexford's valet, Raven and Hawk, two young urchins, street savvy and endearing, and informants of Charlotte's.The Author's notes about satirical caricaturists and alchemy is illuminating.A dazzling start to a new series. I'm hooked!A NetGalley ARC
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Lord Wrexford had been having a loud, vociferous, and continuous argument with a local clergyman in the newspaper so, when that clergyman is murdered, it is no surprise that Wrexford is now the main suspect. To help him solve the murder before he is hanged, he decides to seek answers from A.J. Quill, a popular political cartoonist who has produced a very accurate illustration of the murder scene and seems to always know everything that is happening among the Aristocracy. However, when he seeks out the artist, he is shocked to find that Quill is a woman, a widow named Charlotte Sloane, and she gets much of her information from two young street urchins, Raven and Hawk, whom she has been caring for. As Wrexford and Sloane work together to discover the identity of the real murderer, it becomes clear that this murder is linked to the earlier death of Sloane’s husband and there is a great deal more at stake here than the pair could have imagined. Set in the Regency period, Murder on Black Swan Lane is the first in a new historical mystery series by author Andrea Penrose. The novel is well-plotted and engaging with likeable characters. Wrexford and Sloane make an interesting duo, he logical and grounded in science but with a temper that flares up a bit too easily and seemingly always at the wrong time and she an artist, intuitive, able to quickly make connections between seemingly disparate clues but able to back up her intuition with reasonable explanations. But it is Raven and Hawk perhaps most of all that grab the reader’s empathy and make this book great fun to read. I will definitely be looking out for the next in the series.Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    After Lord Wrexford has a public disagreement with a clergymen, the scientist/nobleman immediately falls under suspicion by authorities when said clergyman is murdered. To prove his innocence in the matter, Lord Wrexford sets out to discover the truth, setting his sights on the satirical cartoonist 'AJ Quill' who has details of the crime no one else saw.Right from the start, this is a fantastic story. The science side of the novel makes it stand out from the others based in the era. Lord Wrexford is an intriguing character, logical and focused on the facts. To compliment him, we have Charlotte, an artist who looks at things outside of the box.The mystery is enjoyable and the reader is led along at a nice pace. At times, the alchemy terms are a bit confusing and bog things down just a bit. The minor characters are a delight and memorable in their own way.All in all, I want to know more. would love to follow Lord Wrexford and Charlotte as they solve more mysteries together.This is a must read for any fan of historical mysteries.