Imperial Scandal
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5.0 • 3 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Husband-and-wife British spies investigate a murder in Brussels amid a whirlwind of war and revelry in this “superb” Regency-era mystery (Historical Novel Society).
Removed to glamorous Brussels in the wake of Napoleon’s escape from Elba, intelligence agent Malcolm Rannoch and his wife, Suzanne, warily partake in the country’s pleasures—lush, bucolic afternoons followed by nights filled with lavish balls. But with the Congress of Vienna in chaos and the Duke of Wellington preparing for battle, the festivities are cut short when Malcolm is sent on a perilous mission that unravels a murderous world of espionage.
No one knows what the demure and respectable Lady Julia Ashton was doing at the château where Malcolm and a fellow British spy were ambushed. But now her enigmatic life has been ended by an equally mysterious death. And as the conflict with Napoleon marches toward Waterloo, and Brussels surrenders to bedlam, Suzanne and Malcolm will be plunged into the search for the truth—revealing an intricate labyrinth of sinister secrets and betrayal in which no one can be trusted . . .
“A superb storyteller.” —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times–bestselling author
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
British spy Malcolm Rannoch and his intrepid wife (and fellow spy) Suzanne have returned for more intrigue in Grant's newest Regency-era novel (after Vienna Waltz). Now in Brussels, Malcolm and Suzanne attend the usual parties, but the ever-present threat of confrontation with Napoleon is palpable. When Malcolm is called away from a ball to meet a French informer at an ostensibly empty ch teau, an unexpected firefight takes the life of Lady Julia Ashton. In the course of Malcolm and Suzanne's investigation to discover what Ashton was doing at the remote rendezvous, a host of ulterior motives and dubious identities is exposed. An unexpected twist further reveals that Suzanne has secrets of her own. When the Battle of Waterloo begins, Suzanne must reconcile her warring loyalties to her husband and to her infamous employer. This sprawling Napoleonic epic (thankfully supplemented with a "Dramatis Personae") involves a cast of dozens and an intricate plot that is constantly morphing no one is who they seem to be and everyone has something to hide. However, for a spy saga set on the verge of one of the most important battles in European history, Grant spends a lot of time discussing love and relationships. While such a focus enables readers to become sympathetic toward her characters, it tends to drag the story out. Readers will begin to wonder how many more plot twists and double agents they can handle. A strong historical, but definitely for patient readers.
