"Murder on Black Swan Lane" by Andrea Penrose

These days, I almost never read a book without having read someone's review of it that made me go, "I want to read that!" Or without it being by an author I enjoy.  So this was kind of a treat, in that way, because I really knew nothing about it except that an Instagram friend thought I would like it.  When I ordered a book box from her Etsy shop, this is the book she chose for me, knowing I love mysteries and historical fiction.  And she was right!  I really, really enjoyed this book!  In fact, I just put a hold on the next book in the series at my library.

Murder on Black Swan Lane has two main characters: Charlotte Sloane and the Earl of Wrexford.  They take turns being the POV character throughout the book.  Charlotte is a widow, and she is secretly a very popular and famous political cartoonist whose satirical artwork is the talk of Regency-era London.  When one of her pieces accuses Wrexford of committing a brutal murder, it brings him to her door, demanding either a retraction of some sort.  They eventually join forces, albeit unwillingly, and work to bring the actual murderer to justice.

The whole book is thoroughly enjoyable, especially if you enjoy lots of Regency slang and fashion and other period-correct details, plus a dastardly plot to untangle, but without delving into sordidity.  (Do you like that word?  I just coined it.)  Although there are some ugly murders, and some violence toward children, the book does not devolve into grisly, preferring to remain grimy but not gruesome.  I look forward to continuing the series, and I'm happy to discover there are five more books in the series out already, with another due out this fall.  I do love a good series, and I hope this one continues in the same vein!

Particularly Good Bits:

Hope, however, was a two-edged sword, a dangerous weapon in careless hands (p. 277).

If This was a Movie, I Would Rate It: PG-13 for murders, violence to children, lots of danger and peril, and a sprinkling of cuss words.  No smut, but some mention of things like mistresses and ladies of the evening.

This is my 25th book read from my TBR shelves for #TheUnreadShelfProject2023.