Overview

Perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen, Deanna Raybourn, and Tasha Alexander, a witty romp through the high society of Victorian England with a touch of romance, an independent female lead, and rich historical detail from the acclaimed and Agatha Award-winning author.
With her new husband George busy on a special mission for the British Museum, Frances has taken on an assignment of her own. The dowager Viscountess Wingate needs someone to sponsor her niece, Kate, for presentation to Queen Victoria. Frances—who understands society's quirks and constraints as only an outsider can—is the perfect candidate.

Kate is charming and intelligent, though perhaps not quite as sheltered as she might first appear. More worrying to Frances is the viscountess's sudden deterioration. The usually formidable dowager has become shockingly frail, and Frances suspects someone may be drugging her. The spotlight falls on Kate, who stands to inherit if her aunt passes,...