The Queen and the Knave

The dastardly antics of a mysterious female crime lord bring together a headstrong Irishwoman and a stalwart constable in Eden’s thrilling fifth Dread Penny Society Victorian romance (after The Bachelor and the Bride). When members of the Dread Penny Society, a group of penny dreadful authors who “secretly fight for the good of the poor and voiceless,” start disappearing, their leader, Móirín Donnelly, suspects the Tempest, “London’s criminal overlord,” and turns to her friend, Constable Fitz Parkinson, for help. For Fitz, catching the Tempest would provide closure to the mystery of his grandfather’s disappearance years before, but as they home in on her, the Tempest reveals that she knows a dark secret about Móirín’s old life in Ireland. Bringing her to justice means risking letting the truth come out. The stakes are high and the plot takes many exciting turns as Móirín and Fitz decipher cryptic clues to the Tempest’s identity, and chase her and her lackeys across the city, falling in love all the while. The mystery is just as strong as the romance and the chemistry between the leads is palpable, despite the lack of sex scenes. Eden packs a punch with this one. (Sept.)