Darcie Wilde is, for me, a must buy-must read-will recommend author. This latest installment in the Rosalind Thorne series explores family secrets and parental manipulation, and the dangerous results of ensuing rebelliousness from the young people in a wealthy family. Rosalind is made to go beyond her typical work as a financially distressed genteel woman, which is to help young ladies navigate their way through the rigidly structured social world of London's Ton. However, she is soon pressed into investigating the theft of a magnificent necklace made of black and white pearls. Unexpectedly, her ne'er-do-well father, a gambler that has long kept bad company, nearly embarasses Rosalind in public. The socially powerful Lieven saves Rosalind from humiliation, but in a world where information is like gold, there will be a price for Rosalind to pay.
Readers familiar with the series will appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the changing relationship between Rosalind and her sister, a courtesan, and Adam, the Bow Street Runner from previous books in the series.

Wilde has developed the loving relationship between Adam and Rosalind with delicate realism; they have gone from working investigations together to caring deeply for each other, while understanding more about how social class affects each of them. Both are mature people; neither has lived sheltered from life’s harshness. Yet they observe social proprieties with each other in a way that shows their respect for each other and feels realistic for the time. This doesn’t ignore the real-life mistresses and extramarital affairs of the Regency era; instead, it is a nod to the precarity of Rosalind’s social position. Gossip about her personal behavior could destroy her ability to earn a living as a single woman from a genteel background. Gender inequality is part of this story, handled subtly and seamlessly in a tight, well-paced plot.

Wilde writes engaging secondary characters as well, and I appreciate her acknowledgment of the ethnic and cultural diversity of Regency London. I love a genre novel with good historical research and emotional depth, and that’s one reason I’m willing to clear my schedule to dive into a Darcie Wilde novel. As a Reference Librarian, I would recommend this novel to fans of Stephanie Barron, Jennifer Ashton, and Valerie Bowman.

I thought the story or mystery was interesting. I felt the the story did have a very slow start. The writer accomplished their goal of sticking close to the stories plot. The story is a good read for the mystery sleuth readers. I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.