Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens

A USA Today bestseller! “[Penrose] mixes well-thought out mysteries,early forensic sciencegreat details of the era and a slow burning attraction creating a compulsive read.” —The New York Public Library A thrilling new mystery novel from the acclaimed author of Murder at Queen’s Landingperfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Anne Perry! In the fifth installment of Andrea Penrose’s acclaimedatmospheric mystery seriesthe upcoming marriage of the Earl of Wrexford and Lady Charlotte Sloane promises to be a highlight of the seasonif they can first untangle—and survive—a web of intrigue and murder involving the most brilliant scientific minds in Regency London… One advantage of being caught up in a whirl of dress fittings and decisions about flower arrangements and breakfast menus is that Charlotte Sloane has little time for any pre-wedding qualms. Her love for Wrexford isn’t in question. But will being a wife—and a Countess—make it difficult for her to maintain her independence—not to mentionher secret identity as famed satirical artist A.J. Quill? Despite those concernsthere are soon even more urgent matters to attend to during Charlotte and Wrexford’s first public outing as an engaged couple. At a symposium at the Royal Botanic Gardensa visiting botanist suffers a fatal collapse. The traces of white powder near his mouth reveal the dark truth—he was murdered. Drawn into the investigationCharlotte and the Earl learn of the victim’s involvement in a momentous medical discovery. With fame and immense fortune at stakethere’s no shortage of suspectsincluding some whose ruthlessness is already known. But neither Charlotte nor her husband-to-be can realize how close the danger is about to get—or to what lengths this villain is prepared to go . . .