How the Scoundrel Seduces

Jeffries’s lively third Duke’s Men 19th-century romance finds Lady Zoe Keane determined to learn the truth about her origins, even if it means hiring the decidedly unsettling Tristan Bonnaud, one of the famous “Duke’s Men” of Manton Investigations. Tristan is far from thrilled to work for a woman with a “penchant for sticking [her] nose where it doesn’t belong.” Zoe should, one day, become Countess of Olivier, but if the couple who raised her weren’t her real parents, she’ll lose claim to the title and the estate. As the bastard son of Viscount Rathmoor, Tristan was denied his meager inheritance by his half-brother, George. Now he’s counting on using his commission from Zoe’s case to fund his own quest for revenge. As their investigations proceed, Zoe and Tristan’s growing mutual attraction becomes just one more secret that’s bound to be revealed. The setting is vivid, the lovers are well-drawn and colorful, and the mystery is intriguing, making this a winner for fans and new readers. (Aug.)