MURDER IN POSTSCRIPT

A Victorian tale of love, adventure, and murder.

When Lord Edgar Amesbury died young of a degenerative disease, he left his niece, Lady Winifred, in the care of his wife of two months, Lady Amelia. Amelia, who’s not from a wealthy or titled family, is guided by Edgar’s aunt Tabitha. Bored with her constricted life as a widow, she's accepted a childhood friend’s offer to write an advice column for a weekly magazine, where, as Lady Agony, she enjoys giving bold advice. One day she gets a letter from a lady’s maid named Charlotte, who thinks her mistress was murdered and begs her to meet at 9 p.m. in St. James’s Park. Edgar’s friend the Marquis of Bainbridge is coming for dinner that night, so even though she enjoys his company, Amelia pretends to have a headache after the meal so she can sneak off to meet Charlotte—but when she gets to the park, she finds her correspondent's dead body. Since Simon Bainbridge, who’s no fool, has followed her, she has to admit that she’s Lady Agony and accept his help in a dangerous adventure. In Charlotte's pocket, Amelia finds the calling card of Flora Edwards, who's recently died in what was assumed to be a tragic accident. Because Flora was the daughter of old friend Adm. James Edwards, Bainbridge’s entree into the Edwards household allows them to start investigating her death as a motive for Charlotte’s. Amelia’s marriage was less than passionate, and she can’t help but be attracted to the dashing Simon even though he may prove more dangerous than the killer they’re hunting.

A cozy romantic mystery that lacks historical detail but is a fun read.