cover image Death Comes to the Village

Death Comes to the Village

Catherine Lloyd. Kensington, $15 trade paper (288p) ISBN 978-0-7582-8733-5

Two unlikely allies—Maj. Robert Kurland, who suffered a serious leg injury at the Battle of Waterloo, and his childhood friend and de facto housekeeper, Miss Lucy Harrington—join forces in Lloyd’s delightful debut, the first in a Regency series set in the English village of Kurland St. Mary. When Robert spots a person carrying a heavy load near the church one night, he suggests Lucy, the rector’s oldest daughter, make some discreet inquiries regarding a spate of recent pilfering. The disappearance of a maidservant is also cause for concern. When Lucy, who resents being constrained because she’s a woman, bridles at being denied a more active role in the investigation, Robert’s valet and butler try to rein her in. Lucy also must deal with her father’s selfishness, her rambunctious twin brothers, the curate’s unwelcome admiration, and a beautiful sister whose prospects exceed her own. Readers will hope that death returns soon to Kurland St. Mary. Agent: Deidre Knight, Knight Agency. (Dec.)