Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vetsch (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

Who is your favorite crime solving duo in books, films, or TV?   I always had a soft spot for the Dana Girls series by Carolyn Keene when I was growing up.

Lady Juliette Thorndike and Bow Street runner Daniel Swann are back solving mysteries together in Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vetsch.  They both arrive just in time for a mysterious explosion at Hammersmith Mill which kills Juliette’s good friend Agatha’s father, Mr. Montgomery.  Or so they think at first, but they soon discover he has been murdered.  On the case, they discover there is more than one person who has a reason to want Mr. Montgomery dead.  Who killed him and why?  And will they find out before the murderer strikes again?

I read and loved The Debutante’s Code, which is the first book in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series.  Millstone of Doubt is the second book in the series.  You can definitely read it on its own, but the first book helps a lot with the character development.

I LOVED this regency mystery.  The characters are great, and Juliette and Daniel had great chemistry.  It’s a clean romance, but the sparks were definitely flying off the page.  The mystery was riveting and kept me reading far too long into the night.  As an engineer and the wife of a structural engineer, I was especially excited that a structural engineer was brought to the mill to assess it for damage after the explosion.  I loved the scientist who came in and figured out how the explosion happened.  I geeked out over these details.  The mystery is good and has a satisfying conclusion.

I can’t wait to see what happens next for Lady Juliette and Daniel!

Review Copy from Kregel Publications as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: Millstone of Doubt: Thorndyke and Swann Regency Mysteries (Book 2)

·       Series: Thorndyke and Swann Regency Mysteries

·       Author: Erica Vetsch

·       Genre: Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: ‎Kregel Publications (September 20, 2022)

·       Length: (304) pages

·       Format: Trade paperback & eBook 

·       ISBN: 978-0825447143

·       Tour Dates: September 19 – October 3, 2022

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A Bow Street Runner and a debutante in London Society use their skills to find the killer of a wealthy businessman, but the killer’s secrets aren’t the only ones they will uncover.

 

Caught in the explosion of the Hammersmith Mill in London, Bow Street runner Daniel Swann rushes to help any survivors only to find the mill's owner dead of an apparent gunshot--but no sign of the killer.

Even though the owner's daughter, Agatha Montgomery, mourns his death, she may be the only one. It seems there are more than a few people with motive for murder. But Daniel can't take this investigation slow and steady. Instead, he must dig through all the suspects as quickly as he can because the clock is ticking until his mysterious patronage--and his job as a runner--comes to an abrupt and painful end. It seems to Daniel that, like his earthly father, his heavenly Father has abandoned him.
Lady Juliette Thorndike is Agatha's bosom friend and has the inside knowledge of the wealthy London ton to be invaluable to Daniel. She should be in a perfect position to help with the case. But when her trusted instructor in the art of spy craft orders her to stay out of the investigation, Lady Juliette obeys. That is, until circumstances intervene, and she drops right into the middle of the deadly pursuit.

When a dreadful accident ends in another death on the mill floor, Daniel discovers a connection to his murder case--and to his own secret past. Now he and Juliette are in a race to find the killer before his time runs out.

 

ADVANCE PRAISE

• “An artfully told story that will have you wondering at the outcome until the final pages are read.” —Ruth Logan Herne, USA Today best-selling author
• “…a fully satisfying mystery. I can’t wait to read the next one!” —Jocelyn Green, Christy Award–winning author of Drawn by the Current
• “I am sure fans of the first book in this series will revel in the deepening relationship between Daniel Swann and Juliette Thorndike.” —Alissa Baxter, author of The Viscount’s Lady Novelist
• “Millstone of Doubt captivated me from the first sentence and kept me guessing the entire novel…Erica Vetsch is the master of all things Regency.” —Lorri Dudley, author of The Duke’s Refuge
• “5 Stars. Millstone of Doubt is a compelling Regency mystery with plenty of romance. Michelle Griep fans (or any Regency fan in general) will love this novel.”— Jennifer Purcell, ChristianBooks.com

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIO

Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling author and ACFW Carol Award winner and has been a Romantic Times top pick for her previous books. She loves Jesus, history, romance, and watching sports. This transplanted Kansan now makes her home in Rochester, Minnesota.

 

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | BOOKBUB | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS |  NEWSLETTER

The Debutante’s Code by Erica Vetsch (Book Tour and GIVEAWAY)

 What is the best new author that you’ve read recently?

 I recently posted that Regency romance is my escapism reading.  What could be even better than a Regency historical mystery with a subtle romance?

 The Debutante’s Code is truly a delightful novel.  It’s been a very stressful month at work and on the home front and this was a perfect novel to read right now.  Lady Juliette Thorndike has just returned to London from a Swiss boarding school with her best friend Agatha.  She is surprised when her ne’er-do-well Uncle Bertie shows up to pick her up at the dock rather than her parents.  It has been years since she has seen them.  Her parents had an emergency at their country estate and have left Juliette with her Uncle and an elderly Duchess to be her chaperone as she embarks on her first season with Agatha.  After a theft at her very first party, Juliette makes some shocking discoveries about her family. 

 Mr. Daniel Swann is a dashing Bow Street Runner and is the man sent to the high-class party to investigate the theft.  He disturbs the ton by including them in the investigation and not just the servants.  When a murder swiftly follows the theft, Daniel knows that there is much more to this case than meets the eye.  Daniel is the illegitimate child of a housekeeper and was plucked from obscurity by a mysterious benefactor to obtain an education and explore the career of his choice.  Who is his benefactor?  Will he be able to solve this case?  And why does the beautiful Lady Juliette perk his interest?

 The Debutante’s Code is the first book in the Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries series.  I loved it and can’t wait to read the next book in the series.  The mystery had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing.  I just really loved the characters, especially the two main characters Juliette and Daniel.  Juliette is a strong woman and very smart.  I love that she rose up to the challenge.  Daniel is an interesting character in his own right and I loved his determination.  I read that this book is Jane Austen crossed with Sherlock Holmes and I think this is an accurate description.

 This is a Christian novel and both main characters work through moments of doubt in their faith through the novel.

 Overall, The Debutante’s Code is an excellent Regency historical mystery novel and I highly recommend it.

 Book Source: Review Copy from Kregel Publishing as part of the I Read with Audra Book Tour.  Thank-you.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 

About the book:

 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.

 Click here to read an excerpt.

 

About the author:

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.

Learn more about Erica Vetsch and her books at www.ericavetsch.com. She can also be found on Facebook (@EricaVetschAuthor), Instagram (@EricaVetsch) and Pinterest (Erica Vetsch).