This is another amazing book from Stephanie Laurens. This time it is from the Barnaby Adair Casebook Series and revolves around Barnaby and Penelope Adair, Inspector Stokes and his wife Griselda and a character who has appeared in most of Stephanie Laurens's books, Heathcote Montague who is the Man of Business for all the Cynsters and many other families. The story involves the murder of not one but three people. Lady Halstead is very old and wanting to make sure her affairs are in order, how...

This is another amazing book from Stephanie Laurens. This time it is from the Barnaby Adair Casebook Series and revolves around Barnaby and Penelope Adair, Inspector Stokes and his wife Griselda and a character who has appeared in most of Stephanie Laurens's books, Heathcote Montague who is the Man of Business for all the Cynsters and many other families. The story involves the murder of not one but three people. Lady Halstead is very old and wanting to make sure her affairs are in order, however, she notices that there are strange deposits in her account. With the help of her companion, Violet Hatcham, she contacts Montague to help her inexperienced solicitor, Runicorn to sort the problem. Three days later Lady Halstead is murdered. Violet immediately contacts Montague and thus the Adairs and Stokes become involved. Shortly after Tilly, her maid and Runicorn are also murdered. Violet has made a last impression on Montague. Against this background is the story of their developing romance as well as the continuing growing marriages of the Adairs and the Stokes. This is a fantastic murder mystery and I couldn't put down as the suspects kept changing and the actual murderer is a surprise. It is also an insight into the way money matters were dealt with in the early Victorian era and as with all her books well researched

Lady Halstead, a wealthy elderly widow, decides it is time to makes sure her affairs are in order and instructs her companion Violet to summon Mr. Runcorn, her man of business, to attend her. During their meeting, they discover that her bank account has too much cash in it. Since Mr. Runcorn has only recently taken over his father's business, Lady Halstead decides to hire the most trusted and experienced man of business in the country to act as a consultant and help Mr. Runcorn with his inves...

Lady Halstead, a wealthy elderly widow, decides it is time to makes sure her affairs are in order and instructs her companion Violet to summon Mr. Runcorn, her man of business, to attend her. During their meeting, they discover that her bank account has too much cash in it. Since Mr. Runcorn has only recently taken over his father's business, Lady Halstead decides to hire the most trusted and experienced man of business in the country to act as a consultant and help Mr. Runcorn with his investigation. Mr. Montague, who acts as man of businesses for many of the upper class, has discovered that while he has achieved his financial and business goals, he has no personal life. When he meets Violet he is intrigued enough to meet with Lady Halstead and agree to look over her finances with Mr. Runcorn. Within days of that first meeting, Lady Halstead is murdered, Violet sends to Mr. Montague for help and he calls in Inspector Stokes and Barnaby Adair to make sure that the murder is not declared a natural death. The case takes twists and turns as additional murders follow.
I enjoyed seeing the Adairs and Stokes as new parents working on their marriages, trying to fit their new responsibilities in with their determination to find the murderer and learning to compromise between their families' needs and the investigation. Heathcote Montague has been brilliant and supportive in prior novels but he has always stayed in his role as financial advisor. In this book, he wants Violet to see him as a man, so we get to see some of his character and his dreams.
The investigation is very much in the fore front in this novel. Violet and Heathcote are direct, honest and mature individuals who recognize their attraction to each other so there is no conflict in their relationship. Their romance is slow and sweet and the heat is turned down in this book compared to many of Ms. Laurens previous books. I enjoyed both the focus on the mystery and the three romances.