The body in the garden

While at a party, young widow Lily Adler overhears the murder of an attempted blackmailer. Outraged at the lack of police concern and worried at the involvement of her friend's husband, she launches her own investigation in between the social whirl of the London season, aided by a dashing young naval captain and a young heiress with a hidden connection to the deceased. The mystery itself is rather thin, and the constant remarks from others about Lily's cleverness take on an almost ironic note, considering how long it takes her to catch on to the rather obvious culprit. However, Lily's guilty enjoyment at the freedom widowhood provides her to pursue her own identity in Regency England, and the grudging respect that develops between her and the local police constable, are intriguing character beats worthy of further exploration. In addition, the mixed-race identities of her partners in crime solving and the methods through which they navigate London society add richness to the tale beyond mere Regency-era tropes. A pleasant though hardly groundbreaking series debut, with the promise of better to come.

Set in 1815, Schellman's enjoyable debut and series launch introduces widow Lily Adler, who has moved to London from Hertfordshire. The night she arrives, she attends a ball at the lavish home of Lady Serena Walter, a former schoolmate. She's escorted by naval captain Jack Hartley, her late husband's closest friend, and introduced to London society, including West Indian heiress Ofelia Oswald. Out for a breather in the garden, Lily overhears two men arguing and then a gunshot. The dead man is Augustus Finch, a working-class West Indian suitor of Ofelia who has followed her to London, vowing he will soon be rich. When Lily sees Lord Walter pay a magistrate to suppress the inquiry, she fears that the nobleman is involved in the crime and feels compelled to investigate. After evidence in Finch's rooms suggests that he was blackmailing someone powerful, the shrewd Ofelia and effervescent Jack join Lily in the hunt for the culprit. Schellman's colorful detective trio and skillful use of historical fact will appeal to fans of Catherine Lloyd. Agent: Whitney Ross, Irene Goodman Literary. (Apr.)

Two years into their marriage, Lily Adler's husband succumbs to illness and dies in 1815. After a mourning period in the country, Lily moves to London's fashionable Mayfair neighborhood. Lady Serena Walter convinces her to attend a party, where Lily overhears a whispered conversation between two gentlemen and then, suddenly, a gunshot. Convincing her late husband's friend Capt. Jack Hartley to investigate, she leads him to the clearing where she overheard the conversation, and they discover the unfortunate victim. When the magistrate declares it a case of murder by persons unknown and tells the Bow Street Runners to stop investigating, Lily is livid and vows to find the murderer herself. Confident in her ability to unravel the clues, she is unprepared for the repercussions of her investigation. Will she unmask the killer before she pays the ultimate price herself? VERDICT Fans of historical mysteries and intelligent, strong women sleuths such as Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily, Darcie Wilde's Rosalind Thorne, or Andrea Penrose's Charlotte Sloane will want to add this series opener to their TBR pile.--Julie Ciccarelli, Tacoma P.L., WA

A widow in the Napoleonic era takes an unlikely path out of her grief by turning detective. London, 1815. After the sad passing of her young husband, Freddy, Lady Lily Adler embarks upon a reimagined life, beginning with a new house in Half Moon Street. Her friend Lady Serena Walter offers support in Lily's shaky resolve to reenter the world by throwing a gala party attended by the crème of London society. The courtly Capt. Jack Hartley, who grew up with Freddy, appoints himself Lily's protector. She witnesses much bad behavior that evening, including a quarrel between a young man and woman that ends in a slap, and endures an improper advance by wealthy boor Reggie Harper. After Lily hears a shot, she discovers the body of the young man who was slapped, one Augustus Finch. The next day, Lily and Jack try to testify before the Magistrate but are turned away. Boldly, she undertakes her own discreet investigation, cleverly unearthing the identity of the lady who did the slapping. Miss Ofelia Oswald is an heiress from the West Indies with deep albeit unspecified feelings toward Finch. She and Jack both insist on accompanying Lily to Finch's rooms, where they find a few sketchy clues. As the measured probe proceeds, Lily realizes that the murderer is probably someone she knows and that her life may be in danger, a suspicion borne out when the killer takes a shot at her. Schellman's well-researched fiction debut uses nuanced, elegant prose to depict a fully realized world. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.