Felicity Carrol and the Perilous Pursuit

Felicity Carrol, the 20-year-old heroine of this appealing series launch set in 1887 England from children’s author Marcantonio (Red Ridin’ in the Hood), has a photographic memory, university degrees in medicine and history, and no interest in being a proper English lady. When her beloved former history teacher, Lord William Kent, is murdered in the British Museum, she decides to investigate. Insp. Jackson Davies of Scotland Yard believes that Kent—an expert in literature and lore about King Arthur—was killed by a thief, who also stole his priceless copy of Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur. Felicity, deducing from crime scene evidence that the missing murder weapon is an antique crossbow, suspects the killing is deliberate. She’s proved correct when another peer is murdered, this time by a medieval flail, and his 14th-century tapestry depicting Arthur is stolen. Impressed with Felicity’s detective skills, Davies grudgingly allows her into the case, which comes to head during Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. Fans of Victorian mysteries have cause to rejoice. Agent: Elizabeth Kracht, Kimberley Cameron. (Feb.)