I am very pleased to let everyone know that my latest mystery in the Second Sons Inquiry Agency series of Regency mysteries is finally available, at least if you have a Kindle or other ebook reader that can access Smashwords. I expect the paperback will follow soon, as well as distribution to BN.com for Nook readers and the iStore for Apple. It is always such a joy--and relief--to see a new book on the shelf.
The Illusion of Desire is the fourth book in the Second Sons Inquiry Agency series and features a new inquiry agent, Captain Nicholas Ainsley. I plan to write another Pru and Knighton book for the series this summer, which will be the fifth in the overall series and the third for Pru and Knighton. They are going to Europe for their honeymoon and unfortunately, run into a great deal of trouble on the way.
Here is the blurb and a small excerpt from The Illusion of Desire.
Blurb
The war with Napoleon may be long over, but Captain Nicholas
Ainsley is still feeling the effects in his
Kathryn had excellent reasons to trade respectability for a
tenuous place in the earl’s household. She believes her father’s death at
Taunton’s country estate years ago was not the natural one the earl claimed.
Was Taunton’s murder related to that far older mystery, or
was his stabbing an act of desperation? The riddle tests Nicholas’ mettle and
his willingness to rip away the veils of illusion surrounding the earl’s life
to reveal the truth.
In this scene, Captain Ainsley is questioning Kathryn Whitethorn-Litton, the murdered man's supposed mistress. While Kathryn was not in the house when the earl was killed, she was on a mission that she dare not reveal to the Captain.
-----
Kathryn laughed. “Why should they? No. They will not, and I will not
give you their names. Why are you questioning me?”
“Please, I beg your indulgence. Let me confirm, then, that the
last time you claim to have seen Lord Taunton was last night at nine p.m.?” Captain Ainsley asked.
“Yes, of course. Ask Harry if you don’t wish to bother Lord
Taunton. He can confirm that I have told you the truth. He and Taunton spend a
great deal of time together. If you wish to know who spent the evening with
Taunton, you must ask Harry.”
“I have spoken with Mr. Silsbury. He indicated he heard a woman
speaking with Lord Taunton late—sometime after midnight, I believe.”
“He could have been requesting water for a bath.” She shrugged.
“Did Harry say he heard me?”
“Yes. He indicated it was your voice.”
“How could he? I was not here at midnight.” She sighed and felt
the stirrings of impatience. “If you are concerned about this matter, then you
must ask Lord Taunton. He can surely tell you what you want to know and
identify the woman he spoke to last night. Although I am quite sure he was
simply asking a maid for some everyday item like a towel or fresh soap. It is
not unheard of, you know.”
A few moments of silence followed this, and once again her
confusion stirred. Why did he persist in asking her about Lord Taunton?
“You must realize, surely…” His words trailed off. He studied
her, a speculative gleam in his brown eyes.
More and more, she had the feeling that she was unaware of
something terrible. There was some fact she ought to be aware of and yet she
was not. What had happened while she accompanied Mary Dudley? The sensation of
missing a critical point grew almost unbearable. Her fingers twisted together
in her lap, stiff and damp.
“Lord Taunton is no longer in a position to answer my questions.”
Captain Ainsley leaned forward, his right hand gripping his knee. “He died last
night.”
------
I hope you enjoyed the small snippet. If you are interested, here are the links for the book on Smashwords and Amazon:
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/411220
Thanks and have a great week!
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