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Murder on Black Swan Lane (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Andrea Penrose (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,198 ratings
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In Regency London, an unconventional scientist and a fearless female artist team up to trap a cold-hearted killer: “Thoroughly enjoyable” (Deanna Raybourn, New York Times–bestselling author).
 
The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back. As their war of words escalates, London’s most popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a church—his face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to ear—and Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect.
 
An artist in her own right, Charlotte Sloane has secretly slipped into the persona of her late husband, using his nom de plume, A.J. Quill. When Wrexford discovers her true identity, she fears it will be her undoing. But he has a proposal—use her sources to unveil the clergyman’s clandestine involvement in questionable scientific practices, and unmask the real murderer. Soon Lord Wrexford and the mysterious Mrs. Sloane plunge into a dangerous shadow world hidden among London’s intellectual enclaves to trap a cunning adversary—before they fall victim to the next experiment in villainy . . .
 
“Sharp, engaging characters, rich period detail, and a compellingly twisty plot, Andrea Penrose delivers a winner.” —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times–bestselling author
 
“Fans of C.S. Harris take note! A riveting ride through Regency London, from the slums of St. Giles, to the mansions of Mayfair.” —Lauren Willig, New York Times–bestselling author
 
“Historical chemistry meets alchemy . . . A delight of a book.&rdquo
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  1. Book 1 of 8
    A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery
  2. Print length
    353 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Kensington Books
  6. Publication date
    June 27, 2017
  7. File size
    6609 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for MURDER ON BLACK SWAN LANE:

"Thoroughly enjoyable . . . with sharp, engaging characters, rich period detail, and a compellingly twisty plot, Andrea Penrose delivers a winner . . . fans of C.S. Harris and Kate Ross will be rooting for Charlotte Sloane and the Earl of Wrexford. Devilishly good fun!" -Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author

"Fans of C.S. Harris take note! In this new, Regency-set mystery series, the artist Charlotte Sloane and the scientist Earl of Wrexford are the perfect mismatched pair of sleuths. A riveting ride through Regency London, from the slums of St. Giles, to the mansions of Mayfair." -Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author

"A wonderfully engaging Regency mystery, with a most determined heroine and an engaging pair of street urchins at her side. Historical chemistry meets alchemy, and only a nonchalant nobleman can help solve the murder. A delight of a book." -Joanna Bourne, award-winning author

"A female 19th-Century cartoonist as an amateur sleuth is a welcome innovation." -Publishers Weekly "

About the Author

Andrea Penrose is a pseudonym for an author who has also written as Cara Elliott for Grand Central and Andrea Pickens for NAL. Her historical mysteries and romantic novels are set in Regency England, an era that has fascinated her ever since she picked up a copy of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. A graduate of Yale, she has won numerous writing awards, including two Daphne Du Maurier Awards for historical mystery, the Golden Leaf, and she's been a three-time finalist for the prestigious RITA Award. Her books have been translated into nine different languages.



James Cameron Stewart is a veteran actor whose performances include roles in theater, film, and television. He was trained at Hull University and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. His credits include Outlander, Jericho, Flying Blind, Golden Years, Emmerdale, London's Burning, Eastenders, Coronation Street, and Holby City.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01NB98TQO
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Books; Reprint edition (June 27, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 27, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6609 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 353 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1496710770
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,198 ratings

About the author

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Andrea Penrose

Andrea Penrose

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Andrea Penrose is the USA Today bestselling author of Regency-era historical fiction, including the acclaimed Wrexford & Sloane mystery series, as well as Regency romances written under the names Andrea Pickens and Cara Elliott. Published internationally in ten languages, she is a three-time RITA Award finalist and the recipient of numerous writing awards, including two Daphne Du Maurier Awards for Historical Mystery and two Gold Leaf Awards. A graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Art and an M.F.A. in Graphic Design, Andrea fell in love with Regency England after reading Pride and Prejudice and has maintained a fascination with the era’s swirling silks and radical new ideas throughout her writing career. She lives in Connecticut and blogs with a community of historical fiction authors at WordWenches.com. She also can be found at AndreaPenrose.com and on Instagram @AndreaPenroseBooks.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
5,198 global ratings
Intuition and Reason
5 Stars
Intuition and Reason
This time I would not be caught like with Lady Fan series, I have the first book in this new to me series, so I am reading it first before the release of the latest installment.Thus way, I will have a reasonable view of the different characters.Charlotte operating under AJ Quill, her late husband’s pen name is the bearer of many secrets. One being her live-hood is provided by the satirical drawings she sold under thus name. Were she discovered, it would be the end of her means to make ends meet.Wrexford is a bored, cold blooded rather merciless peer. He analyses clues and hints as his scientific mind like with rationality and reason. But his temper put him right into the path of his own falling.Both have their web of informants, from different stations but all brought together, they draw the map of who’s behind the gruesome murder.I just adored Raven and Hawk, nicknamed the weasels by Wrexford, street urchins brothers, Charlotte has taken under her wing, who provide loads of insights and informations, connected to other ragamuffin informants. They are the light of this tale.Tyler is so much more than Wrexford’s valet and laboratory’s assistant, he is his all-kind-of-talents companion and a sort of a friend.Sheffield is not the idle being nor easy ne’er do well people think he is, he plays his part in Wrexford’s game, having to rely on his wits and his charming persona as funds are low for a younger son.And last Henning, the Scot surgeon working at the mortuary.The case is very clever, well thought, full of twists and turns offering a different view of the era, by bringing together Wrexford and Charlotte, it unexpectedly affords her some closure but unlocks too more questions about her past and life altering choices.Regency is mostly in my mind a romance period, maybe because most of the historical mysteries I have read are set during the Victorian period. So it is even more enthralling to read about the spark of progress, of discovery which will lead to today’s technology at a time when witches and stakes were not yet a long forgotten memory.5 stars𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 none but there are the elements for something between the main characters.
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Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A great British mystery
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2024
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Excellent book with unique characters and a fascinating plot. I found it to be well written and fell in love with the author’s style. I would highly recommend!
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Jean S.
4.0 out of 5 stars compelling plot
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2024
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Rivaling Anne Perry for Victorian crime solving fiction, Penrose builds believable characters using their individual gifts to complement each other in crime solving. I’m anxious to read book 2 to ascertain if her believable plot twists and turns as well as the dynamic and complex attributes of her characters continue to take center stage. Besides, I need to know what happens to the Weasels!
2 people found this helpful
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Christa
5.0 out of 5 stars That was Fun!
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2024
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Man, I haven't enjoyed a page-turning mystery like this in awhile! That was fun!
Engaging characters, intricate plot, murder and mayhem...my favorite ingredients, with some family friendly thrown in.
Some features are clearly styled from Sherlock Holmes, but still nicely stands on its own. I'd read this again!

Christa
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Sophia Rose
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fabulous Two-Sitting Historical Murder Mystery Read
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2023
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The Wrexford and Sloane series was always a 'when' not 'if' for me. The blurb, the genre, the time period, and many glowing reviews had me committed before I even cracked open the first book. Now, I finally read Murder on Black Swan Lane and, no surprise, I devoured it in two sittings.

Regency period London, an aristocratic Lord Wrexford, who gets tagged for a gruesome murder, ends up turning to the reclusive woman satirist who pilloried him in her drawings a time or two. Mrs. Sloane has her own reasons for seeing the murderer brought to justice even if it means using her talents toward detecting and partnering with a man she thought she had pegged, but he surprises her.

The author does a bang up job of introducing her characters and series set up while driving forward with a cunning murder mystery. Great mixture of character development, historical detecting, science and art of the period and a plot sprinkled with well-built suspense and action. Incidentally, the broader cast of characters introduced with the main pair were colorful and engaging, too.

Wrexford and Sloane are a dazzling pair and I most definitely want more of them and Regency-era mysteries. Now I, in turn, recommend this stellar book to other historical mystery fans.
6 people found this helpful
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Kimberley Stafford
4.0 out of 5 stars Diverting Mystery
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2023
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An entertaining murder mystery taking place in Regency England with shady societies, child irregulars, alchemy and privileged men doing privileged things. I really like the idea of Charlotte being a political satirist and the way her caricatures play a major role in the story. However, I wish the background of the main characters wasn’t as shadowy. I am guessing holding back elements of their past was a deliberate decision, but it left them feeling more two- than three-dimensional. I am planning to continue the series with the hope that they will be drawn much more clearly and with more depth.

I listened to the audiobook for “Murder on Black Swan Lane” and enjoyed it. James Cameron Stewart did a good job with the interpretation and characterization. I felt it added to the book.
2 people found this helpful
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Leeroz
5.0 out of 5 stars Society and the dregs meet....
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2024
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Fascinating, suspenseful tale of the clash and meeting of the worlds. That includes good and evil, rich and poor, science and alchemy, logic and emotion. This has it all. The character development is wonderful. Good wins! Very definitely looking forward to next Sloan and Wrexford.
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Fritzie White
3.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant read
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2022
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Murder on Black Swan Lane, published in 2018, is the first of six novels to date in the Wrexford & Sloane Mystery series, by Andrea Penrose. It’s got 2,059 ratings (aka reviews) so far, with only 8% being 3-star or less, so does it really need another one?

Well, for those people who choose to read a book based on its reviews, you can never have too many reviews.

I’ll be giving it a 3-star review, as I explain below. It’s got a few flaws, but still worth reading if you like period mysteries.

It’s a Regency mystery, set in England. What is the Regency period, you ask?

King George III (king during the American Revolution (1775-1783)) succumbed to mental illness in late 1810. He had intermittent periods of sanity and refused to abdicate, so Parliament passed the Regency Act – his son, George, Prince of Wales is appointed as Prince Regent. (Hence, the “Regency,” which lasts from 1811 to 1820, when George III passes away and the son becomes King.)

I deduce, from clues in the text, that the story is set between 1812 and early 1814. In an early chapter of the book, a character mentions the war against Napoleon (1803 – 1814, with the little hiccup in 1815 when he escaped the island to which he’d been exiled), and much later on, we learn that “Humphry Davy nearly lost an eye experimenting with explosives for our war effort at a special laboratory in Tunbridge.” Davy was a real person, a well-known scientist, and this incident actually happened, in 1812. So the story must take place between 1812 and April 1814. It’s always fun to find these little clues, if the author doesn’t come right out and give us the date, and one of the reasons why I love period mysteries.

The male lead, the fabulously wealthy Earl of Wrexford, is arrogant, easily bored, and dabbles in chemistry in his rooms. He is clearly modeled on Sherlock Holmes, the only difference (apart from the wealth) being that Wrexford has quite a way with the ladies. He’s got a valet rather than a roommate, however, so there’s a bit of a less polite Lord Peter Wimsey thrown in….

The female lead is Charlotte Sloane. Her husband had been a popular satirical cartoonist, published under the pseudonym of A. J. Quill, and after his death (his mysterious death, as we learn eventually) she takes over his business as she’s a talented artist herself. Since her husband had maintained his anonymity with the publisher of his cartoons, she is able to step right into his shoes – no one knows A. J. Quill is now a woman.

Charlotte is aided in her endeavors by two street urchins in whom she takes a motherly, or perhaps sisterly, interest. These boys, brothers named Hawk and Raven) are able to travel anywhere through the streets of London, but particularly the lower class areas, and learn information that she then puts into her satirical drawings.

The naming of the boys as Hawk and Raven felt a bit “twee” in my opinion, and the constant puns on their names irritating. (“Let’s fly,” Raven tells his younger brother, Hawk, when Charlotte gives him a letter to deliver.)

The boys of course speak in lower-class “cant” or “argot” and there’s plenty of this, but occasionally a false note is struck, as for instance when Raven is showing Charlotte the scene of a murder (the murder that opens the book), hears noises and says to her, “We gotta flee!” No young boy in that situation, poor, middle or upper class, is going to say “let’s flee!” More likely, “We’re got to run like hell!” (I wonder if the writer meant to say, “We gotta fly,” and the “flee” was a typo.)

The victim, Reverend Josiah Holworthy, his face splashed with a corrosive chemical before his throat is cut, had been having a “war of words” with Wrexford over the Earl’s “debauchery.” The Bow Street Runners (the police force of the day) in the person of Mr. Griffin, suspect Wrexford of the crime, and although Wrexford is uninterested in investigating the murder, his valet, Tyler, persuades him that it would be in is best interest to do so, especially since the satirical cartoons of the mysterious A. J. Quill feature Wrexford in a suspicious light.

One of Wrexford’s first goals is to find out who the mysterious A. J. Quill is, and once he succeeds the sparks begin to fly between the two of them.

Murder on Black Swan Lane is a complex, multi-layered mystery, with a few coincidences so that one does have to suspend one’s disbelief. But just accept it and move on. Coincidences do happen!

As mentioned, sometimes the Regency “vernacular” rings a little false (my knowledge of it stems from the Regency novels of Georgette Heyer, who was an expert), but overall I felt the period was well-evoked.
There are plenty of characters, plenty of suspects - all well drawn, and a few subplots to keep the reader’s interest engaged. The solution to the mystery isn’t a let down, as is sometimes the case in books when the prologue is rife with cryptic dialog that isn’t always followed through….

Some of the negative reviews have commented that it’s a romance with mystery overtones, I’d say it’s a mystery with romantic overtones. The solution to the mystery is satisfying, and it leaves one wanting to do more research into the scientific aspects of the time period. (The author has a postscript which gives some insight into the book, as well.)
66 people found this helpful
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Mom
5.0 out of 5 stars very good read
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2024
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I’ve been looking for a new book and author to read. So glad I stumbled upon this one. Lots of twist and turns plus loved the characters. Can’t wait read to read the next book.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
Reviewed in Canada on October 29, 2023
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Totally enjoyed this book and it's cast of characters. I am looking forward to seeing how the next book plays out, could there be some romance in the air.?
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Monka
5.0 out of 5 stars Tolles Buch
Reviewed in Germany on December 19, 2021
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Ich bin sehr zufrieden. Die Geschichte hat mir gut gefallen und auf Englisch fand ich die besser wie auf deutsch
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Susanna
5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent and Fun
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2021
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I’m really enjoying this murder mystery series from the quill of Andrea Penrose. These novels are set in the Regency London – like my Detective Lavender books and the Sebastian St Cyr series by C. S. Harris -- but they’re unique in that Charlotte Sloane is an enterprising woman who's carved out a secret and successful career for herself as a satirical cartoonist.
Independent and clever, she’s the perfect match for the mercurial and scientific Earl of Wrexford, her crime-solving partner. The chemistry between them is obvious and that personal spark adds an extra layer of interest to the novels.
The secondary characters in this series are also delightful, especially the sardonic Tyler, Lord Wrexford's valet/laboratory assistant, and Raven and Hawk, the street-wise young orphans whom Charlotte has taken under her wing.
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La veneziana
4.0 out of 5 stars Trama già vista, personaggi non scontati
Reviewed in Italy on December 10, 2019
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L'omicidio di Black Swan Lane è il classico mystery ambientato nella Londra della Reggenza con tutti gli elementi tipici del caso e la cui soluzione non sarà difficile da indovinare ai lettori più affezionati del genere.
La vicenda si apre subito con l'omicidio efferato del Reverendo Josiah Holworthy sulla cui scena del delitto si presenta, prima dei poliziotti, la giovane Charlotte Sloane che, sotto lo pseudonimo di A.J. Quill, realizza e pubblica con successo disegni satirici che mettono alla berlina la classe aristocratica e politica inglese.
Charlotte è la vedova di un pittore di modesto talento e, ritrovandosi dopo la morte di quest'ultimo in ristrettezze economiche, ed essendo più dotata artisticamente, ha scelto la strada della denuncia illustrata per riuscire molto concretamente a mantenersi e a mantenere anche due giovani fratelli, figli dei bassifondi londinesi, cui si è affezionata.
I due ragazzini ricambiano, riportando alla donna tutte le informazioni relative a scandali o vicende poco chiare che essi riescono a carpire ascoltando i pettegolezzi nelle taverne e nelle strade di Londra.
Di recente i disegni di Charlotte si erano soffermati a commentare la polemica sorta fra il defunto Reverendo e il Conte di Wrexford, brillante chimico dilettante, insofferente delle vedute ristrette di Holworthy e più che disposto a imbarcarsi in un pubblico scambio di turbolenti punti di vista.
Diventa subito chiaro che Wrexford è il primo sospettato poiché tracce di sostanze chimiche peculiari, sono state rinvenute sul cadavere.
Wrexford, annoiato ed irritato per la situazione, che le vignette di Charlotte non rendono sicuramente più facile, riesce, sia pure con qualche difficoltà, a trovare l'elusivo A.J. Quill e rimane non poco sconcertato nello scoprire che si tratta di una donna. E rimane ancora più sconcertato quando capisce che la Signora Sloane è non solo un'abile artista, ma che possiede una intelligenza vivace e analitica, ha ricevuto un'ottima istruzione e un'educazione che chiaramente non ha nulla a che fare con la zona di Londra dove l'ha trovata.
Da questo punto in poi la trama segue un percorso tipico che vede i due stringere una precaria alleanza per arrivare al vero esecutore del delitto, aiutati di volta in volta da personaggi insoliti e competenti (il valletto, il medico, l'amico di lui, ecc) che assistono validamente il duo di improvvisati investigatori.
La Londra disegnata dall'autrice emerge nei suoi aspetti più eleganti e più derelitti e viene descritta con sufficiente accuratezza. Ben fatta è anche la parte che riporta la situazione delle conoscenze in campo chimico, con le rivalità fra Stati e il forte interesse sull'impiego bellico delle nuove scoperte.
Anche la prosa è attraente e serrata e il romanzo si legge con facilità.
Non si può dire che si tratti di una serie a livello di altre su questo genere; tuttavia è simpatica e credo proprio che acquisterò anche il prossimo volume.
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Jane
5.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced and entertaining.
Reviewed in Australia on October 7, 2021
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A very enjoyable Regency mystery. The principal characters are well defined and likeable. The story is engrossing, with many interesting twists. I look forward to reading more in this series.
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