"One part Victorian social history and one part mystery, the second in a new series starring a Victorian woman detective (after The Secrets of Wishtide, 2016) is a totally beguiling read. Its heroine, Laetitia Rodd, is a genteel but poor widow of an archdeacon, and the sister of a London criminal barrister. When her brother asks her to investigate some puzzles he's come across, Laetitia's near-poverty propels her to earn some extra money, and the combined status of dead archdeacon husband and barrister brother allow her to float easily from hovels to rectories to country houses. The case Laetitia's brother gives her this time has a tight deadline: a wealthy man who is about to die of consumption wants to find his estranged brother and reconcile with him. The brother was a brilliant Oxford scholar, but poverty and madness drove him into the countryside. The author is marvelous at working in what life was like in 1851 England through telling details. For example, the wealthy used to summer in the country to escape cholera outbreaks; consumption tore through families; prayers were embroidered into baby caps, a sign of high infant mortality. The mystery escalates into blackmail and then murder.

Throughout it all, Laetitia, practical and canny, makes a marvelous companion." -- Booklist, starred review "With a well-crafted plot, an engaging protagonist, and astute nods to the literature and theological squabbles of the period, this is a perfect novel for a summer afternoon." -- The Guardian "A Dickensian glow pervades this immensely satisfying novel. Hugely enjoyable." -- James Runcie, author of The Grantchester Mysteries, about THE SECRETS OF WISHTIDE "Kate Saunders immerses us in Victorian England in this delightful new series. You'll love Laetitia Rodd and her charming cohorts as they unravel an intriguing tangle of mysteries to save the innocent and punish the guilty. I couldn't put it down!" -- Victoria Thompson, bestselling author of MURDER IN MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, about THE SECRETS OF WISHTIDE "Readers who relish the puzzle of a well-done Victorian-set mystery with a resourceful female detective will take pleasure in this series launch." -- Library Journal, starred review, THE SECRETS OF WISHTIDE "Saunders launches a well-written series with all the hallmarks of a classic British cozy.

" -- Kirkus Reviews, THE SECRETS OF WISHTIDE "[A] lively series debut." -- Publishers Weekly, THE SECRETS OF WISHTIDE.