Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and author Andrea Penrose for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

When I started receiving advanced reader copies of books to review, there were a couple of authors who immediately caught my attention. One of those is Andrea Penrose. I found the Wrexford & Sloane Historical Mystery series about the fourth book in, and immediately went back and read what I missed. Set in Regency England, the character of Charlotte Sloane was an interesting one. She was a strong, independent woman at a time when there were strict rules proscribing her behavior in society. The friendship turned into romance between her and Lord Wrexford felt natural, as there was a great deal about the two of them that worked. There were certain conciliations by Charlotte as she once again found herself part of the society she had rejected earlier in her life. However, she and Wrex have managed to carve out a good life while not surrendering their morals. They are also legal guardians of three boys. Two were street urchins who helped Charlotte when they were all living rather poorly. The third came to them after being rejected by his father’s family due to his skin color.

In the ninth book of the series, Murder at Somerset House, Penrose indicates in her afterword that she felt the need to shake things up a bit. The stories were descending into formulaic writing, and she wanted to avoid that. I have always said this series is Bridgerton for smarter people. The background is the beau monde of Regency England, but Lord Wrexford and Charlotte see it more as an obligation they have to navigate rather than enjoying themselves at various parties and soirees.

The big upheaval in Murder at Somerset House is an addition to the menageries of young people that Wrex and Charlotte take care of. Wrex learns he has a younger sister he never knew about, since he was estranged from their father when he died. Up until now, Eddylina has been cared for by a governess. That woman has fallen ill and can’t care for her any longer. There’s no doubt in Wrex’s mind that “Eddy” is his sister, as he sees too much of his father in her when they meet. Eddy has a natural ability with animals, including Wrex’s intimidation stallion, Lucifer.

However, the mystery at the heart of Murder at Somerset House has little to do with all of this. A fellow scientist is found outside of Somerset House after an evening where he had a public disagreement with the man who is arrested for his murder. Wrex is asked to investigate by the man’s cousin, who is sure his relative could not have done it. As Napoleon is making noise on the island of Elba, it seems the English government is worried the French have discovered the electric telegraph, which would give them a great advantage with battlefield communications should war break out again. Wrex, Charlotte, and their friends try to learn if this is the case. In the meantime, Raven works with Cordelia and a well-known “stockjobber” as they try to learn if the French are also targeting the English Stock Exchange.

This was a story that started out as one thing and evolved into another. Up until now, Wrex has occasionally been asked to help out the government in a clandestine way. In Murder at Somerset House, he is in the thick of the build-up to another war with Napoleon. There are so many things being balanced at once, between reports of Napoleon escaping Elba and gaining followers on his way to Paris, rumors of electric communication being made possible, as well as diplomacy with potential allies in the fight against Napoleon, that it felt like there was a lot going on. However, that is the point. Much like we see now in the United States, creating chaos in the government and financial markets makes it easy for an authoritarian to take over.

The addition of a younger sister is a good one. I often mused whether Wrex and Charlotte would actually have any children, with the pressure on him to produce an heir for his title. Eddy has a mind of her own, and Charlotte can relate to her due to her own rejection of society. Still, both of them know they are treading carefully. If anyone questions her legitimacy, they don’t have any paperwork that says Wrex’s father was married to her mother. This could also bring the rest of their brood under scrutiny, especially since they created a fictional long-lost family connection for Raven and Hawk. Does Eddy fit the need for that? Can she pass the title on to her children one day if Wrex and Charlotte don’t produce an heir? A baby would certainly clip Charlotte’s wings a bit.

With so much going on, Murder at Somerset House is not confusing. The plots are laid out, and explanations are given. I especially enjoyed seeing how the stock exchange worked two hundred years ago, without the instant communication available. Penrose also provides a detailed explanation for how England funded her war efforts against Napoleon. The deep dive into the scientific and social history of the era is what I enjoy the most. Penrose never fails to contrast the wealthy against how most of the citizenry lived at the time. It’s easy to romanticize the era when an author only focuses on the wealthy of the era, rather than the common people. Both Wrex and Charlotte think things must change, despite their societal roles.

If you’ve read earlier books in the series, be ready for a bit more of a roller-coaster ride here. There’s a lot more going on, and plenty of red herrings and distractions. We know what will happen when Napoleon confronts the British and allies at Waterloo, but getting to that point is very interesting. Penrose’s afterword explains a lot of the science of the times and what she discovered as she delved beyond the notion that Samuel Morse invested the telegraph. It’s all very interesting and well-written.

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