The gilded shroud

Fans of romantic historicals will welcome Bailey's solid debut, a Regency mystery. Sharp-witted Ottilia Draycott, who's just taken a temporary position as companion to the dowager marchioness of Polbrook, finds herself in the midst of a baffling murder puzzle after the discovery of the strangled corpse of the dowager's daughter-in-law, Emily Fanshawe, sprawled on her four-poster bed. Even more alarmingly, Emily's heavy-drinking husband, Randal, has vanished, making him the obvious suspect. Despite the skepticism of her new employer and the dowager's attractive, and available, other son, Francis, Ottilia proves herself an adept investigator, whose nose for clues might enable resolution of the mystery before the law gets involved. She must weigh varying motives for the murder, including a theft turned violent and a crime of passion committed by the dead woman's lover. A satisfying solution and well-chosen period detail will leave readers eager for the sequel. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Perhaps if she had been more discreet about her lovers, Emily, the marchioness of Polbrook, wouldn't have been murdered in her own bed. The prime suspect, her rogue husband, Randal, is on the lam. Veteran romance author Bailey debuts a sparkling new mystery series, introducing readers to Ottilia Draycott, an amateur sleuth who stoops to no man in this Georgian England delight. Ottilia, a lady's companion to the victim's mother-in-law, jumps in as if detective work was second nature to her. Gaining the confidence of a crusty dowager, a handsome lord, and the household staff, Ottilia teases out with whom Emily might have been rendezvousing when she met her demise. There may be hope for Randal yet, and perhaps a more permanent place in this household for the smart and spunky Ottilia. VERDICT A light upstairs-downstairs affair with clever dialog. Georgette Heyer is a strong influence on Bailey, and Bailey does it well, deftly mixing her detecting with a gentle romance. Terrific crossover appeal for Georgian romance readers who crave a corpse with their love stories. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.