by S.K. Rizzolo
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GENRE: historical mystery
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BLURB:
This
well imagined, carefully detailed, and cleverly plotted debut draws on actual
historical events of 1811 London.
Regency London knows Constance Tyrone as the conspicuously celibate founder of the St. Catherine Society, dedicated to helping poor women. One wet November evening a carriage mows down Constance outside her office. Why was a gentlewoman abroad in the night? And if she died under the wheel, whose hands bruised her neck and stole her monogrammed crucifix?
Dismissing the idea of an accident, Bow Street Runner John Chase forms an unlikely alliance with Penelope Wolfe, wife of the chief suspect. A young mother paying the price for an imprudent marriage, Penelope is eager to clear her husband Jeremy, a feckless portrait painter whose salacious drawings of the victim suggest an erotic interest. Barrister Edward Buckler, drawn despite himself to Penelope, shakes off his habitual lethargy to join the investigation.
As horrifying murders on the Ratcliffe Highway claim all London’s attention, the trio discovers that it won’t be easy to unravel the enigma of Constance Tyrone, a woman who revives the legend of martyred St. Catherine.
Regency London knows Constance Tyrone as the conspicuously celibate founder of the St. Catherine Society, dedicated to helping poor women. One wet November evening a carriage mows down Constance outside her office. Why was a gentlewoman abroad in the night? And if she died under the wheel, whose hands bruised her neck and stole her monogrammed crucifix?
Dismissing the idea of an accident, Bow Street Runner John Chase forms an unlikely alliance with Penelope Wolfe, wife of the chief suspect. A young mother paying the price for an imprudent marriage, Penelope is eager to clear her husband Jeremy, a feckless portrait painter whose salacious drawings of the victim suggest an erotic interest. Barrister Edward Buckler, drawn despite himself to Penelope, shakes off his habitual lethargy to join the investigation.
As horrifying murders on the Ratcliffe Highway claim all London’s attention, the trio discovers that it won’t be easy to unravel the enigma of Constance Tyrone, a woman who revives the legend of martyred St. Catherine.
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EXCERPT
Penelope tumbled out of sleep, stifling a scream. Someone
was in the room. A step shuffled; a drawer edged open with the scratch of old
wood. Her arm reached instinctively for the child at her side, but Sarah still
slept, warm and sweet, breathing softly.
A form detached from the shadows by the bureau and moved
toward her. She heard a thud followed by a muffled curse.
“Jeremy?”
“Who left that blasted thing in the middle of the room?”
As he bent to right the rocking horse, Penelope slipped out
of bed, groping for the tinderbox on the nightstand. Fingers trembling, she
struck metal against flint until a spark caught. She lit her candle and turned
to face him.
Jeremy stepped into the flicker-glow, slivers of light
illuminating eyes, nose, or mouth, each in turn then thrust back into darkness.
He was smiling.
“What do you want?” she said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
S.K. Rizzolo writes dark regency mysteries—no
dukes, earls, or ballroom debutantes need apply. After developing a childhood
obsession with Henry VIII’s headless wives, she became an incurable Anglophile
and went on to watch practically every Masterpiece Theatre show ever made. By
day she teaches literature to high school students; by night she retreats to
her dusty attic to craft her own stories. Her mystery series features a trio of
crime-solving friends: a Bow Street Runner (an early English detective), an
unconventional lady, and a melancholic lawyer—all of whom live much more
exciting lives than she does. The Rose in the Wheel is the first title in
the series followed by Blood for Blood, Die I Will Not, and On a Desert Shore.
Rizzolo lives in Los Angeles with Oliver Twist and Lucy, her cats, and Michael,
her husband. She also has a grown actress-daughter named after Miranda in The
Tempest.
Social Media links:
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My review:
3.75 out of 5 stars
The Rose in the Wheel: A Regency Mystery by S. K. Rizzolo
features Penelope Wolfe, a young mother during the early 19th
century, who becomes enmeshed in a murder investigation when her errant husband
is named the chief suspect. John Chase, a Bow Street Runner, methodically
searches for clues, but his efforts are compromised by the lack of cooperation
and the disdain with which many regard his profession. An unlikely team of
investigators comprised of folks from many strata of life slowly unearths
pivotal information…but will it be in time to bring the perpetrator to justice,
or will even more victims succumb first?
This slowly building mystery maintains the decorum and
tendency of the society of this period while detailing the challenges and
advances taking place at this time. The author’s research provides depth to the
story that starts with the discovery of a genteel philanthropist’s body and
gradually expands to encompass issues such as single motherhood and other
women’s challenges, scientific experimentation, and the judicial system. Those who
are disturbed by shifting points of view are advised that the action does
switch between several characters and there are multiple folks who appear as
the story progresses, so one might want to take notes since it gets a little
confusing at times.
I enjoyed the atmosphere that is richly established as well
as the intriguing twists and turns that trail red herrings or provide a
different perspective about some of the details that are received. I’m a little
puzzled about Penelope’s marriage, and this story definitely reminds me of the hard-won
advances in women’s rights that have been made over the years. I love mysteries
that gradually unfold, and I think the author did a great job of creating a
layered story that will appeal to those who love historical tales that bring to
life the culture and mores of a particular era. Both the main characters and
many of the secondary characters are intriguing and I suspect several may well-deservedly figure in subsequent stories.
A copy of this title was provided to me for review
