In this sequel to Instruments of Darkness, Harriet Westerman has traveled to London to be near her husband, a naval commander recovering from injuries sustained at sea. There, she and anatomist Gabriel Crowther are asked to investigate a murder that leads them into the worlds of opera and espionage. Harriet's outspoken, emotional nature and Gabriel's scientific skills complement each other. A subplot involves Mrs. Bligh, a clairvoyant who is troubled by a reading she gives to a young woman. When she discovers that the woman has died, Mrs. Bligh is convinced the girl has been murdered and investigates. The two stories, though taking place in different classes of Georgian society, eventually intertwine in a surprising conclusion.
VERDICT The author has done her research (with two pages of historical notes as proof), and the authentic details and dialog transport readers back to 1781 London. However, the many references to the previous book make it essential that new readers start with that one. Fans of such historical mystery authors as Anne Perry and Charles Finch will delight in this new series.
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