Overview

Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series

Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn’t spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love.But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They’ve been living double lives as government spies–and they’re only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family’s legacy.

Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spies. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors–not to mention the nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner, who suspects her of a daring theft.

Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents’ last mission?

Best-selling author Erica Vetsch is back with a rollicking, exciting new series destined to be a hit with Regency readers who enjoy a touch of mystery in their love stories. Fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, and Anne Perry will love the wit, action, and romance.

Review

Disclaimer: Although I received a copy of this book from the publisher, the opinions below are my own.

A disastrous trip home from finishing school on a cargo vessel is only the beginning of what looks to be a disappointing debut season for Lady Juliette, especially when chaperoning duties are given to the Dowager Duchess of Haverly. You aren’t alone if that name sounds familiar because it felt that way to me as soon as I came across it. The Haverly family was heavily featured in Erica Vetsch’s, Serendipity and Secrets series. Marcus Haverly, the Dowager’s son, was my favorite character in those books so it’s great to see him again. I do suggest re-reading this series if you have access to it, even though you’re introduced to the family via Juliette and the other lead character, Daniel Swann.

The Debutante’s Code is a novel about a scavenger hunt of sorts. It’s a tale where not everyone is what they seem. Daniel is examining a series of thefts and trying to make his mark in criminal investigation, but he’s also just a few months away from being cut loose from a mysterious benefactor. Juliette and her uncle are in a race against Detective Swann and other, unknown, enemies who’ve already taken lives. At times, I wanted to bang Juliette and Daniel’s heads together. If only they would work together and share what they each knew… But they are on opposite sides for most of the book. Meanwhile, if anyone knows where Juliette’s parents are they aren’t telling.

Readers who like everything to be neatly wrapped up and sealed with a kiss will be disappointed with the ending, as not all questions are answered and there’s no immediate Happy Ever After. Personally, I’m looking forward to book two of Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries. Millstone of Doubt will no doubt (ha ha!) further the storyline begun in this intriguing novel, and I’m sure the payoff at the end of the series will be sweet.

Rating

4/5

Product Information

Publisher:  Kregel

Publication Date:   07 December 2021

Book Information   https://www.kregel.com/fiction/the-debutantes-code/

Excerpt   https://www.kregel.com/books/pdfs/excerpts/9780825447136.pdf

Author Information

Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling and ACFW Carol Award–winning author. She is a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is both her total opposite and soul mate.

Vetsch is the author of many novellas and novels, including the popular Serendipity & Secrets Regency series and the new Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery series

Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks.

Erica Vetsch’s Website https://www.ericavetsch.com

Giveaway

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of The Debutante’s Code by Erica Vetsch and a Pride and Prejudice throw blanket! (clicking the graphic will take you to the entry page on Erica Vetsch’s website)

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on December 31st. You must be 18 or older to enter.