#(and my wife thinks she'll be employed again by the end of the month)

[kirby-the-gorb]

(No Obligation Whatsoever but if you *want* to give me a birthday present my kofi is in the pinned post or you could always draw a kirby :> after all I started drawing him every day in the first place just cuz I think low key simple kirby drawings are fun and there should be more of them!)

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Fatal by Design by Cara Devlin

Bow Street Duchess #5

Excellent addition to the series with the ongoing slow burn sizzle of attraction between Audrey and Hugh finally catching fire as they solve another mystery. I couldn’t put it down and cannot wait to see what happens next!

What I liked:

* * Audrey: dowager duchess, married in name only for four years, has been attracted to Hugh throughout the series, loves solving mysteries, intelligent, impulsive, possesses paranormal psychometric abilities, has a big secret that she will share with Hugh

* Hugh: ex-principal Bow Street officer, scandal in his past, good friend of Dr. Thornton, well-educated and eloquent, protective, intelligent, accepting, intriguing, in love with Audrey, dealing with being the new Viscount Neatham after finding out he and not another was the legitimate heir

* Sir: born with the name Davy Given, a young man from the streets befriended and employed by Hugh as his assistant, savvy, capable, resourceful, look forward to seeing more of him in future books * Thornton: physician, Hugh’s friend, compassionate, volunteers time to the underprivileged, capable, supportive, widow that loved his wife, intriguing, might be ready to leave mourning and perhaps might be interested in Cassie

* Cassie: Audrey’s sister-in-law, had a misfortunate situation to deal with in the previous book that has left her less than willing to trust men, looking forward to seeing what her future holds in store for her

* Audrey’s in-laws who seem supportive, kind, and caring

* Millie: Audrey’s sister, widow, mother of four children, loved another but married off to someone else, has potential for true happiness, isn’t as horrible as she seemed in previous books

* The supporting characters Greer, Carrigan and Basil

* The plot, setting, pacing and writing

* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:

* Who and what I was meant not to like

* The person doing the kidnapping, Audrey’s mother and uncle, and thinking about bigotry must have impacted people of color

Did I like this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Definitely!

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

A summer house party in the countryside takes a deadly turn after the abduction of a viscountess. After the shocking events of the spring, Audrey Sinclair and Hugh Marsden are adjusting to their new lives when an apparent highway robbery ends in the violent abduction of Audrey's sister. As callous as Millie has been in the past, Audrey can't turn her back on family. She'll do whatever it takes to find her sister, even if it means working with the man she's been avoiding for months: former Bow Street officer Hugh Marsden. Unsettled with his new role in society, and being deemed one of London's most eligible bachelors, Hugh is happy to fall back on his Bow Street skills to track down Lady Redding-and to see Audrey again. But the viscountess's disappearance is only half of the puzzle. A long-lost ring worth a fortune could be the driving force behind the deadly events, and as Audrey and Hugh unravel the truth-along with the secrets and complications surrounding their future-a killer closes in on the house party...and selects a new victim. The Bow Street Duchess Mystery continues with Fatal by Design, the newest Audrey Sinclair and Hugh Marsden investigation. Perfect for fans of the Lady Sherlock mysteries, the Veronica Speedwell mysteries, and PBS Masterpiece's Miss Scarlet & the Duke. Series Order: Book 1: Murder at the Seven Dials Book 2: Death at Fournier Downs Book 3: Silence of Deceit Book 4: Penance for the Dead Book 5: Fatal by Design (releasing Oct. 21, 2023) Book 6: Nature of the Crime (coming Jan. 2024)