Author: Andrea Penrose
Series: Wrexford & Sloane Mysteries (Book 10)
Publication: Kensington (September 29, 2026)
Description: Not all that glitters in Regency London is quite what it seems, as Charlotte and Lord Wrexford discover when a counterfeiting scheme draws them into a deadly web of murder and manipulation in USA Today bestselling author Andrea Penrose’s masterfully plotted mystery for readers of Victoria Thompson, C.S. Harris, Charles Finch, and Deanna Raybourn.
Lord Wrexford and Charlotte’s growing family ensures that life is a source of constant adventure. The addition of Wrexford’s half-sister to their household is proving an unexpected delight. But some surprises are less welcome—and trouble strikes when Hawk, one of the young boys in their care, arrives home distraught after learning that his new drawing teacher has been found murdered on Threadneedle Street.
Fletcher Campbell’s death could be dismissed as a random robbery turned violent. But as an artist herself, Charlotte suspects there’s more to the case than meets the eye. Closer examination reveals that a distinctive ring was taken from the victim’s finger. With Hawk pleading for the family to help solve the crime, Charlotte and Wrexford suddenly find themselves entangled in a fiendish mystery that harkens back to a decade-old scandal that nearly brought down the government.
It seems Campbell’s brother was the infamous leader of a counterfeiting gang that swindled the Bank of England. Most were apprehended, but forged banknotes remain a problem. Now, the Bank of England has offered £20,000 to anyone who can use the newly-invented engineering technologies to create the Inimitable Banknote—a complex design that cannot be counterfeited.
It’s a prize that could tempt anyone, and Wrexford and Sloane’s investigation turns even more fraught when one of their closest friends falls under suspicion. The deeper they probe, the more treachery comes to light. For when a lie so easily masquerades as truth, danger may be much closer than they think . . .
My Thoughts: The next Wrexford and Sloane mystery begins when Hawk, their youngest ward, comes home crying when he learns that his new drawing tutor has been murdered on Threadneedle Street. Despite all the signs leading to an ordinary street murder, they decide to look into the case for Hawk.
Soon, some suspicious things come out. The simple pewter ring he wore was taken from his hand. As they look into his background, they also learn that he spent ten years in prison because of his connection to a plot to steal currency on its way to France. While most of the perpetrators were found and hanged, the mastermind eluded capture.
Counterfeiting is a big business and growing worse. The Bank of England is sponsoring a competition with a massive cash prize to the inventor who can make an Inimitable Banknote. Somehow, it seems that the murder is related in some way to this competition.
The story was full of the people who were competing for the prize both fictional and real including the son of the man in charge of the ten-year-old failed plot who was the artistic genius who almost made the plot succeed. There was also a lot of information about creating a reliable currency at a time when many banks made their own banknotes.
I enjoyed the family dynamics as Wrex's young sister is finding her place in the family. I also enjoyed the large circle of friends who were part of the investigation.
This was another great addition to this historical mystery series.
