A Veil Removed: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel

Early in Cox’s entertaining fourth novel set in the 1930s (after 2018’s A Promise Given), Henrietta Von Harmon and her English husband, former police inspector Clive Howard, cut short their honeymoon abroad and return home to Chicago after learning that Clive’s father, Alcott, is dead, having slipped off a snowy platform in front of an oncoming train. Clive is not convinced it was an accident, and he and Henrietta investigate. In the process, they learn some secrets about Alcott, who was being blackmailed by gangsters. Clive is also faced with the unwanted duty of taking over the family business. Meanwhile, Elsie, Henrietta’s sister, has fallen for an unworthy cad. In order to spare the young woman social embarrassment, Henrietta enrolls her at a women’s college. Elsie swears off love and men. But how long will that last? Readers should be prepared for some explicit sex scenes. Composed of large dollops of romance and a soupçon of mystery, this confection will appeal more to romance fans than to mystery buffs. (Apr.)