I have long anticipated Murder at Queen’s Landing as the next novel in the Wrexford and Sloane mystery series. I was gifted a copy from NetGalley and Kensington Books, and I loved it! It comes out on Tuesday, and you can find out more information on www.andreapenrose.com. Lord Wrexford and (now) Lady Charlotte Sloan have been a great duo to follow, and I hope there are more novels after this one.
This novel starts with the murder of a secretary, but soon becomes more complicated when Wrexford and Sloane’s mutual friends go missing. When it becomes apparent that the two events are linked, Wrexford, Sloane, Raven, Hawk, Sloane’s aunt Alison, and Sheffield partake in investigating the solution. What unfolds involves murder, conspiracy, treason, and revelations that could shake the economic structure of the British empire. As they solve a tantalizing and suspenseful mystery, the group grows closer together, Wrexford and Sloane take a hard look at their own relationship, and the philosophical debate on loyalties vs actions is endless.
Part of what I love about Penrose’s Wrexford and Sloane series is her scientific focus. Each book in the series has had an invention/discovery angle to it and it’s fascinating to read about, especially from the perspective of having a broader scope of knowledge today. It is very humbling to think about the sacrifices and hardships that inventors of the past made in order for technology to move further ahead. Figures such as Galileo, who was under house arrest for heresy for his challenging heliocentric theory, and Marie Curie, who, as we know, suffered from radiation poisoning in her discovery of radium, are well-known examples of those who made our progress today possible. We can’t forget the unknown scientists, or those who have had their work destroyed, stolen, or plagiarized by others. Penrose makes readers aware that sacrifices have been made to get our understanding to where it is today in an appreciative view of the inventors of the 1800’s.
Aside from her interesting fixation on invention, Penrose casts intriguing and lovable characters in the Wrexford and Sloane series. We can admire Charlotte Sloane for being true to herself, Wrexford for being more than his reputation would suggest, Sheffield for being a loyal friend, Raven and Hawk for having their own code of honor, and Aunt Alison (a more recently added character) for taking things in stride. While this tight-knit group bands together for the greater good, it’s not at all cheesy or unrealistic in the way that they support each other. There are a lot of real friendship/family dynamics that go on in the group and their investigations, and the realism makes it very pleasurable to read and a welcome sideline from the mystery.
If there’s any suggestion that I could make to this series, it would be to decrease the use of the words “pragmatic” and “mercurial.” I’ve mentioned my notice of the repetition of “pragmatic” before, but “mercurial” popped up a lot in this book – I just noticed the change. Another thing I would like to see more of is Charlotte and Wrexford’s social circle. Since she’s just come back into society, Charlotte’s is bound to be nonexistent, but she has been going to some meetings with her aunt and I’d just like to read about her doing some ordinary things to get a better sense of who she is. I think Wrexford is in a similar boat, being fairly antisocial, but a scene where he goes to his club just for fun wouldn’t be amiss. I feel as though our characters never really stumble upon anything important by accident, and exploring more of their social circles might be a good way to do so.
In conclusion, this was another very successful installment of the Wrexford and Sloane series by Andrea Penrose. I loved the mystery, the characters, the characters’ progression, and the inclusion of a 19th century invention. I hope I don’t have to say goodbye to this bunch of characters anytime soon, because I am always ready to see what Lord Wrexford and Lady Charlotte Sloane get themselves into next.