Fatal Enquiry

Readers rejoice and scoundrels take heed—the streets of Victorian London just got a little safer now that Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn are back on the case! When Barker's archnemesis, the villainous and aristocratic Sebastian Nightwine, returns to London with a governmental pardon in his hand and revenge in his heart, the detective duo quickly find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Soon they are battling detectives, thugs, and the feminine wiles of one Miss Sofia Ilyanova in a race to clear Barker's good name and foil Nightwine's most mercenary scheme to date. This reviewer missed her train stop two days in a row, so engrossed was she in Barker and Llewelyn's latest exploits! Although this is Tulsa librarian Thomas's (Some Danger Involved) sixth Barker and Llewelyn story, as his first book for Minotaur, it serves as a reintroduction to the series. It's a charming one at that, powered by well-developed character dynamics and a delightfully idiosyncratic cast of characters. Newcomers are sure to be absorbed into these warm, witty, and richly atmospheric historicals, and devotees will not be disappointed.