⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Yes. Darcy Burke’s first foray into a historical murder mystery was an appealing mix of clever detective work and a touch of the paranormal.

After being viciously stabbed and left for dead, Hadrian Becket, Earl of Ravenhurst struggles back to health only to discover he is cursed with a vexing ability to see visions he can’t explain. Terrified he may be going mad, he must keep the disturbing skill secret. But when it proves helpful in tracking his would-be killer, he has no choice but to embrace the newfound power. The retrocognition leads him to the house of a man recently deceased, where he encounters the clever and intriguing Miss Matilda Wren, who may be able to help him solve the many questions raised by the attack.

The death of Tilda’s cousin has left her and her beloved grandmother in a precarious financial position when she discovers their investments have gone missing. Between the lost money and the mysterious Lord Ravenhurst’s incessant queries, Tilda begins to wonder if her cousin may have been murdered. Desperate to determine what happened, she’ll exhaust every possible line of inquiry to stave off destitution. For a price, Tilda agrees to work with the earl to uncover the truth, though she suspects he’s hiding a dark secret. As their investigation grows, so does the body count, but can they trust each other enough to expose the puppet master pulling the strings? Or will the villain’s malevolent machinations end with more than a whisper of death?

MY THOUGHTS

Hadrian’s newfound ability was vague at the best of times, but it worked well because the reader discovered the possibilities at the same time as Hadrian. Tilda was already an established investigator, but with this case she had the opportunity to expand her skills. The two of them had to exert themselves to their limits for every piece of evidence.

I found it to be a bit slow in some areas and maybe the case could’ve been solved a bit faster, but all the various parts of this whodunnit competently fit together. Tilda and Hadrian were very meticulous in their investigation.

This is not a romance, despite all the private thoughts and occasional longing glances to the contrary. Tilda and Hadrian formed a solid friendship and I do hope that they will have plenty of more cases to solve together.

I can recommend this if you like historical fiction with a murder and plenty of suspense. Oh, and don’t forget Hadrian’s puzzling power.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication: July 30, 2024
Sensuality Rating: None
Series: Book 1 of Raven & Wren