by Crystal Caudill | Oct 8, 2024 | Character Interview
I absolutely adore all of Erica Vetch’s characters, and Miss Philippa Cashel is no different. I am almost halfway through her story, but due to life, deadlines, and having to start a massive project over, Miss Phillipa and Bertie glare at me from the shelf. They do not like where I left them, and I can’t say I do either. Even as I’m forced to wait to find out what happens, I am NOT forced to wait to talk to her for this interview. I’m counting it as one of the benefits of getting to count my blog as part of my job. So before spending time with Miss Phillipa, let me introduce you to her story.Â
A Thieving at Carlton House by Erica Vetsch
The Home Office has asked Sir Bertrand Thorndike to head an investigation into stolen royal jewels. It’s the perfect chance for Bertie to step out of his brother’s long shadow. His superior, The Duke of Haverly, has a plan that makes him balk: in order to sell his cover, Bertie must play the part of a man looking for love, ready to reform his rakish ways. The duke is willing to let Bertie name his own investigative team, but his recommendation that the team include Philippa Cashel has Bertie on his guard. Does the duke-known for his behind-the-scenes machinations-have an ulterior motive?
Philippa Cashel escaped her life as one of society’s best-known courtesans, devoting her life to helping other women in dire straits. So when Sir Bertrand Thorndike approaches her about joining his team as an agent of the Crown, she is skeptical. She’s focused on getting her school for underprivileged women up and running, not in cloak-and-dagger skullduggery. Her hope is that if she labors hard enough at her charity work, she might begin to feel worthy of God’s forgiveness. When one of Philippa’s rescued girls is arrested for stealing the royal jewels and another is murdered, Philippa will risk partnering with Bertie to find the loot and stop the killer. Two brilliant minds-with two wary hearts-and one cunning deceiver are on a collision course in Regency England.
Purchase Links: Amazon | Baker Book House |  Christianbook
Now for our interview with Miss Philippa.
CC: I’m so excited to get to introduce you to my readers, Miss Philippa. Would you mind telling them a little bit about yourself?
PC: I find it so difficult to introduce myself, as I do not wish to hold on to the past, but my past has shaped so much of my present. Though I hope my present is what is shaping my future and I can put the early years of my life behind me. You see, I am the illegitimate child of an earl and his long-time mistress. At least she was his mistress until he decided one day that she was not. This action forced us onto the streets of London, and I supported us the only way I knew how…and consequently became one of the most sought-after courtesans in the city. But the love of my half-sister and her husband showed me that I could leave that life and forge a new one, rescuing women who used to be as I was. A Thieving at Carlton House shows me embarking on the biggest part of my new way of life…forming a charity for women in dire straits. Though I’m about to find myself in some dire straits of my own!
CC: Why, yes. Yes, you are. But some of the worst dire straits bring about some of the most amazing futures, and I’m eagerly trying to meet my word count goals so that I get to see what that is.
What or who is your biggest problem in life?Â
PC: From the outside, people would say my biggest problem in life is trying to overcome my past as a ‘fallen woman’ but I know that my greatest problem is the unforgiveness I’m toting around concerning my father’s abandonment, and how that’s eating at my soul.
CC: Unforgiveness is so difficult to overcome. How often do we think that it doesn’t hurt anyone by the person you deny it to when really it is us who suffer the most? I feel for you as you walk this road.
Since you have such a difficult past, I’m sure tha thas affected your relationship with God. How would you describe your relationship with Him?
PC: When I was on the streets, my relationship with God was best described as adversarial. Now I would describe myself as a fledgling in my faith, a bit tentative, and always wondering if I’m worthy of His love. I’ve a long way to go, it seems.
CC: It is definitely a life-long journey.
How do you think others view you? Do you feel this is an accurate representation of you? Does it bother you or make you feel good about yourself?
PC: Most men tend to see me as an object, a pretty thing to parade around. Though not my brother-in-law or strangely, Sir Bertrand Thorndike, with whom I work in a secret capacity for our Majesty’s Government. My father views me as something he’d rather forget…and has done an admirable job in that endeavor. The new pupils at the Eleos School for Women in Need, hopefully see me as a friend and mentor.
CC: I know those girls would be in a completely different place without you, and I am certain they look up to you as a friend and mentor. I know I would.
Tell us a little bit of the personal journey you go on throughout this story. What areas of growth do you find yourself facing?
PC: Though I have some very real danger, it is the road to forgiveness that I find the most arduous to traverse.
CC: Amen and hugs.Â
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?Â
PC: I would change my circumstances more than myself. I would have been a much-cherished daughter of a happily married couple, secure in their love and never forced out onto the streets. At times, I have despised my face and form, as they are appealing to many men, but I was also grateful for it, as it allowed me to live a certain way, with beautiful things and plenty to eat at that time of my life.
CC: I think there are aspects of all of our past circumstances that we wish we could have changed, but the older I get the more I realize those difficult circumstances were needed to make me who I am today. There would be many a girl’s life who would be still on the street if you hadn’t walked through what you did, rose above it by God’s grace, and then turned it into a ministry.Â
What is your greatest skill that helps you through the story or makes you appealing to a possible love interest?
PC: I’m resilient. And I can read people. I can sense when someone is lying or hiding something. And I am a very good listener.
CC: I happen to know for a fact that these skills are very helpful for you in this story . . . and attractive to a certain man.
If you were to describe yourself as an animal, which animal would it be and why?Â
PC: A cat. Wary, a bit aloof, and only comfortable in a situation where I feel safe.
CC: I can see that!
How would you describe the love interest of the story?Â
PC: I am in no danger of falling in love. My past makes romantic love impossible. I must concentrate on healing from my trauma and focus on pouring my affection into the girls I rescue…though if I was to fall in love, it would have to be someone I respected, and who had a generous nature, who saw me as a person of worth, not an object to own and display.
CC: I think God is in the business of surprising us with the secret desires of our heart. I’m certainly looking forward to reading the rest of this book . . . and the rest of the series. I am sure there will be much that will surprise you and us (the readers).
If there is one thing you could tell the reader, what would it be?Â
PC: Harboring unforgiveness against someone is like drinking poison and hoping the other person gets ill. You only damage yourself by not forgiving…forgiving doesn’t release the other person of responsibility. Forgiving keeps that person’s actions from ruining your life.
CC: Definitely a life lesson for us all . . . and a hard one to learn.
Readers, you probably can already anticipate what I have to say: GO GET PHILIPPA’S STORY, A Theiving at Carlton House by Erica Vetsch. We MUST know what happens to Philippa and how God chooses to work in her life.Â
Let me know in the comments: Have you read The Gentleman Spy (where we first met her) or A Theiving of Carlton House? What do you think of Philippa?
About Erica Vetsch:
Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com and you can find her on Facebook at The Inspirational Regency Readers Group where she spends way too much time!
Connect with Erica: Website/Newsletter | Facebook |  Instagram |  BookBub
by Crystal Caudill | Nov 7, 2023 | Author Interviews
There is an interesting dynamic in being both a reader and member of the Christian writing community. As a writer, I am SO incredibly blessed to get to know authors I read on a personal level. As a reader, I totally fangirl over getting to meet and know these incredible authors. Which means I’m often squealing on the inside every time I am meeting with each of these women. I’m a hot mess, y’all. So it’s an incredible blessing that I haven’t run them off yet, especially Erica Vetsch. While trying to be professional in this interview, know that I am absolutely squealing on the inside. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Erica’s writing, especially the Thorndike and Swann series. So now it is my immense pleasure to introduce you to one of my favorite authors.Â
Best-selling, award-winning author Erica 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. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/groups/inspirationalregencyreaders where she spends way too much time!
You can connect with her through: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon  | BookBub |  GoodReads
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Erica with rapid-fire.
CC: Sweet or Salty?
EV: BOTH! I love popcorn with M&Ms
CC: Print, E-book, or Audiobook?
EV: Print for research books, and currently audio for fiction.
CC: Coffee, Tea, or Other?
EV: Tea, Black.
Morning Person or Night Owl?
EV: Night owl 🙂
CC: Favorite Holiday?
EV: Christmas
I am with you on the book formats. Unfortunately, my life has been too crazy for print. (Cue sobbing.) But I can’t wait for your book to come out on audio so I can really enjoy it. So let’s dive into the meat of this interview.
What does your writing process look like from beginning to end?
EV: I start noodling an idea, letting it marinate, and begin reading history books set in the place/time I am thinking of. I ask ‘what if’ kinds of questions. Then I schedule time with my adult daughter, who listens to the plot, and asks lots of ‘thread pulling’ types of questions to see what unravels. Then we write scene summaries on a white board, with the characters, settings, plot points, etc. After I have it the way I think it will go (which it does, sort of, but there are always changes as I write it.) I tell my girl the story again. Then I type out a synopsis, with a paragraph for each scene, and usually two scenes per chapter. Then it’s time to sit down and write. I keep the research books handy, and I make notes as I write about what else I might need to research that I didn’t know when I started. Each day, I go back over what I wrote the day before, tidying it up and then writing new words. When I get somewhere between the two-thirds and three-fourths mark of the story, I go back to the beginning and change and rewrite in all the things I’ve changed my mind about or discovered as the story unfolded. When that’s done, I’m able to write a smash-bang finish.
CC: It’s always so fascinating (and freeing) to hear how each author works differently. I have some similarities to your process and now have a few things from yours that I might try out on the next story. 🙂 Â
What is your writing Kryptonite?
EV: The Internet. Social media, really. I help administrate a wonderful Facebook Group for Inspirational Regency Readers, and that takes quite a bit of time, but I also love Instagram Reels. 🙂
CC: Oh, that dreaded internet and social media. Although I have to admit, I LOVE the IRR group.Â
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
EV: Write! At first, you may not know exactly what you’re doing or how to plot or craft a story, but write! Finger-paint your story. Then write some more. Don’t obsess over the first story, but begin a new one. Each time you write a story, you’ll learn more about what makes for good storytelling. Read books on the craft of writing, take a writing class online, or go to a conference and sit in the workshops. But above all, write.
CC: I echo this. Without the writing, you can’t have a book.Â
Now, I’m excited to discuss your newest release, Children of the Shadows, book three in the Thorndike and Swann series. It’s literally sitting next to me and taunting me to pick it up. Sigh. To-do lists first . . .
Detective Daniel Swann and debutante Juliette Thorndike once again team up to solve a dangerous mystery–while trying to keep their growing romance secret.
Someone is preying upon the street children of Regency London. They seem to think no one will notice when urchins go missing–and even if they are noticed, who will care?
Daniel needs to do something about the missing children. But with recent revelations about his past and an unexpected, somewhat unwelcome inheritance to deal with, this is a terrible time to dive back into the seedy underbelly of the crime world. Nevertheless, he’s still a Bow Street runner, and his partner Lady Juliette is sensitive to the plight of these wayward youngsters. They’re on the case, searching shadowed alleys and coal-drenched streets to find the missing.
But the tangle of expectation and the dynamics of power cannot be easily ignored, even if there are children in danger. When Daniel’s past threatens to overwhelm his future, he will need a miracle and the help of his friends to both apprehend the villain and unravel his tangled family web. And it may be that his new responsibilities demand that he leave the children of the shadows to their terrible fate–or lose everything.
Erica Vetsch’s popular Regency mystery series concludes with a bang, sure to satisfy readers who have hung on every page since book one.
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Baker Book House | Barnes and Noble | ChristianbookÂ
CC: Where did you get the idea for Children of the Shadows?
EV: This is the third book in the series, and the initial idea popped into my head about 6-7 years ago. What if a girl returned from finishing school to find her parents missing and discovered that she came from a long line of spies for the Crown?
CC: It has certainly been as fun a series to read as the idea was to entertain. I’m so glad you had the idea.
What about this story drew you to it?
EV: I think one of the things I like best about this story, aside from the justice aspect, is that the characters wrestle with some really thorny problems in their faith. Is God both Sovereign and Good? I think many people can relate to those wobbles of faith where they question God’s ability to act, or the goodness of His actions.
CC: That is definitely a true struggle that I think every Christian wrestles with. And I love how you call it a wobble of faith.
What character was the most fun to create?
EV: I love Juliette’s Uncle Bertie, and I’m thrilled that he will be the main character in the next series. He’s so droll with a dry wit and a nice line in irony. He loves Juliette fiercely and wants to see her succeed while at the same time protecting her from harm.
CC: WHAT!!!! Uncle Bertie gets his own series??? Where is the preorder link? I need that book, like yesterday. 🙂 I have to agree. He’s SUCH a fun character.
How did this story affect you as you wrote it? Did God teach you anything through the writing?
EV: It’s always good to revisit struggles that I’ve had in my faith journey, including the Sovereignty/Goodness balance. I was reminded again and again that those two qualities are not mutually exclusive but perfect in every way in the Person of God.Â
CC: Amen. It’s definitely not a one and done wrestle, and it’s so fascinating to see how much we’ve grown since the last time we wrestled with it.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
EV: First of all, an entertaining read with a satisfying ending. Beyond that, if they can see themselves in the characters, learn alongside them, and grow, even in a small way, in their faith journey, that would be icing on the tea cake. 🙂
CC: As a reader, I can say you have definitely achieved that icing on the tea cake. 🙂 Last but not least . . .Â
What animal is most like you?
EV: The Manatee. A few years ago, I visited my folks in Florida, and we went to a particular spot on the Gulf of Mexico known for its manatee sightings. As we walked along the pier, there were audio speakers along the rail at intervals, telling the listener about the life of the manatee. At one point, the recording said, “When the manatee isn’t sleeping, it can be found eating,” and I knew I had found my spirit animal. 🙂
CC: LOL, oh boy do I feel that one. Except I don’t eat my leafy vegetables as I should. Thank you so much for visiting us, Erica.
Readers, take my word for it. You do NOT want to miss this series. Grab the first one, The Debutante’s Code, if you haven’t started it yet. If you’ve read this newest and last one of the series, DO NOT tell me what happened. I can’t wait to dive in for myself. But please DO leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author. Â
Do you think you’d make a good spy? What quality or trait do you think would be your strength? Your weakness?
by Crystal Caudill | Nov 30, 2022 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
We’ve finished the eleventh month of the Unlocking the Past 2022 Reading Challenge: Around the World. This month we traveled to any country you want to go to but have never been, and my choice of story was Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vestch Once you read my review, don’t forget to comment to be entered for your chance to win a copy.
*Want more interaction and/or suggestions each month? Join the Facebook Group. Need a reminder on the details of the challenge? Go to the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge page.*
Millstone of Doubt
by Erica Vetsch
What can I say? I adore Erica Vetsch’s books and this series has definitely ranked top of my list from her. Millstone of Doubt is the exciting sequel to The Debutante’s Code. Just as in the first book, Millstone of Doubt is filled with excitement, suspicious relationships, unexpected twists, and best of all danger. Well maybe, second best. I’m not a huge romance girl, but this book had the perfect amount of romance and a swoon-worthy ending. I’m looking forward to seeing how things wrap up with the next book, Children of the Shadows, which is not yet up for preorder but I am eagerly anticipating its release next year.Â
This book is great for lovers of Regency romance, spy stories, and romances where you’re never sure who is holding back secrets. It’s a thrilling adventure with depth, romance, and characters you can’t wait to continue to follow.
Genre: Regency Mystery Romance
Plot Overview:
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.
Purchase Links:
Amazon   Baker Bookhouse    Barnes & Noble    Books-a-Million    Book Depository    Bookshop.org    Christianbook.com   Indiebound.org
Giveaway
*Special Giveaway note: Erica Vetsch is going to give this month’s winner a copy of her Thorndike and Swann paper dolls.*
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month and you will also be entered into the year-end Grand Prize Reader Basket. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on December 7th at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced don’t the Rafflecopter widget. *Open to all residents of the contiguous USA, legally able to enter, and an e-book format or Amazon Gift Card will be awarded to those outside that range who are legally able to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
What did you read for November’s Challenge? What do you hope to read in December?
by Crystal Caudill | Oct 10, 2022 | Character Interview
Y’all know I LOVE character interviews, but I’ve never been as excited for one as THIS ONE. SQUEE!!! I get to introduce you to Daniel Swann from Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vetsch. He is the SWOONY hero of the Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries. Y’all, I can’t even. (And yes, I turn into a squealing teenage girl when he walks in the room.)
Before we start fan-girling . . . I mean get to know Daniel, allow me to introduce you to his story.
Millstone of Doubt by Daniel Swann
Regency London’s detective duo is back on a new case–and this one is going to be a killer
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.
Even though the owner’s daughter, Agatha Montgomery, mourns his death, 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 to the fates.
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. Still, her instructor in the art of spy craft orders her to stay out of the investigation. But circumstances intervene, dropping her 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.
Purchase Links: Amazon | Baker Book House | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Book Depository | Bookshop.org | Christianbook
Now for our interview with Daniel.
CC: Hi Daniel! For those who don’t know how amazing you are. Would you please introduce yourself and your role to my readers?
DS: I’m a detective, and there’s been a murder. It’s my job to bring the killer to justice. I love a good puzzle, and I feel strongly about people following the law.
CC: And I absolutely can’t wait to watch you do it. Being a detective can bring a lot of different opinions. How do you think others view you?
DS: Depends upon who you ask. My boss scorns me, because he was forced to give me this job as a Bow Street Detective. My partner, Ed, he sees me as a bit of a protege, though as I’ve gained experience we’ve become more equals. Lady Juliette? What wouldn’t I give to know exactly how she sees me…
CC: Ah, yes. Lady Juliette. Women do like to keep their secrets. 🙂 Just how would you describe her?
DS: Lady Juliette…smart, refined, educated, rich…and yet none of those things really encapsulates the real her. She’s brave, sometimes too brave, graceful, honest, and she treats people fairly, whether a baron or a beggar, she’s overall kindly. It’s her kindness…and if I’m honest, also her big, brown eyes, that draw me to her the most. But she’s also unattainable by the likes of me, so I should stop thinking about glossy brown curls, rose-scented skin, and chocolate-drop eyes and just go about my business.
CC: *cue sighing* Well, I wouldn’t be so sure. I’m certainly rooting for the unattainable to become attainable. But it’s time to stop my daydreaming and ask, who is your least favorite person to deal with?
DS: Owen Wilkenson. That kid is a thorn in my side. Insolent, sullen, bright as a new pin, but irritating. And now I have to begin instructing him in the ways of detection? Why can’t he be content to be an office boy and stay out of my business?
CC: Mentoring someone–especially someone who annoys you–can be a very difficult task. I feel for you. What is it you’re afraid of? What’s your biggest fear?
DS: Being rejected. I’ve had enough rejection in my life.
CC: Oh, Daniel. That is so hard, and I can see how that might affect your interactions with others. Especially a certain Lady Juliette. I assume some of that rejection comes from a hard past. What was the worst thing that ever happened to you?
DS: My mother turned me over to a mysterious patron when I was 12. I suppose it was hard on her having an illegitimate son to care for, but she didn’t need to push me out of her life at the first opportunity.
CC: Ouch. I be that means family gatherings are a happy thing for you.
DS: No. Because I have no family. I don’t know who my father was, and my mother had no part in my life after she threw me out.
CC: That has to have affected how you view God in your life. Where do you two stand?
DS: We have a sort of mutual respect, I suppose. It’s hard to see Him as caring when I see so much hardship and have experienced so much hardship. I see Him as stern and dictatorial.
CC: I pray that your view changes. We definitely need to end this interview on a happier note. What’s one of your happiest memories?
DS: Riding the master’s horses on the estate where I was raised. He had some crack hunters, and we flew across the fields and soared every fence. I hadn’t a care in the world when I was riding.
CC: I have to say, as a Kentucky girl who used to work at the Kentucky Horse Park, horses DO make everything better. And I’m biting at the bit (pun intended 😉) to dive into your story once we finish this interview. Oh the benefits of having no deadlines again.Â
Readers, do walk, RUN to check out Millstone of Doubt.Â
About Erica Vetsch:
Best-selling, award-winning author Erica 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. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!
Connect with Erica: Website | Â Facebook – Inspirational Regency Readers | BookBub
Readers, do you enjoy Regency fiction? Which books are your favorite? Have you read any of Erica’s before?
by Crystal Caudill | Apr 5, 2022 | Book Reviews
The Debutante’s Code
by Erica Vetsch
With my book release, it’s been a while since I’ve done a book review, but y’all, this book. I haven’t been THIS excited about a series in quite a while. The Debutante’s Code is the first book in the Thorndike Mysteries series, and it has SPIES. I LOVE a good spy story and this one is not only a series but it is also intricately tied to my other favorite book from Erica Vetsch, The Gentleman Spy. EEP!!! I CANNOT say enough about this book. It is going to be a yearly re-read for me. There is an amazing cast of characters, twists and turns that were fun and unexpected, and it’s all set in the sweeping setting of the Regency world. I love the mix of underworld connections with the glamor and beauty of a debutante’s life. I absolutely cannot wait to see how some of the characters are involved further down the road, and I seriously could devour this whole series without ever reading the back blurbs to see if they will intrigue me. The romance is light in this book, but there is definite attraction and the hope that something more will develop. SERIOUSLY, I CANNOT WAIT for the next book.
The Debutante’s Code will be adored by readers who enjoy spy novels, the Regency Era, and mysteries with excitement, drama, and of course LOTS of secrets.
Genre: Historial Romance, 1816 England
Plot Overview:
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 spy craft. 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 nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner Daniel Swann, who suspects her of a daring theft.
Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents’ last mission? Or will it lead her to a terrible end?
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.
What I loved: Can I say the entire adventure? I loved learning to be a spy with Juliette and watching Detective Swann interfere with her investigation. Also, I ADORED the connection to The Gentleman Spy. Having read it before this book, I was able to squeal over every little connection. It made it that much more enjoyable than if I’d just picked it up without any reference to The Gentleman Spy.
Favorite Character and Why: I loved the combination of Juliette and Daniel Swann. They were a perfect play-off of each other, and I very much enjoyed them. I cannot wait to watch them grow throughout the rest of the series. It’s seriously one I think I could follow for longer than three books which is something I’ve NEVER said before.
Who would like this?The Debutante’s Code will be adored by readers who enjoy spy novels, the Regency Era, and mysteries with excitement, drama, and of course LOTS of secrets.
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  Books-A-Million | Bookshop |  Book Depository | Christianbook Distributors | IndieBound
Do you enjoy spy books? What other Historical fiction spy, mystery, or undercover book can you recommend?
