The Secret of the Lost Pearls

In Wilde’s well-crafted sixth Rosalind Thorne mystery (after 2021’s A Counterfeit Suitor), Rosalind again gracefully navigates the snares of the haut ton of Regency London to resolve a problem rooted in family secrets. When Rosalind’s old friend Bethany Hodgeson requests her help in locating a missing pearl necklace, Rosalind takes up residence in her home. There, under the guise of assisting Bethany’s two sisters and her sister-in-law in making their debut into London society, Rosalind discovers an array of scandals and secrets, including a botched elopement, bigamy, and various machinations by overbearing parents and sly servants. The chapter headings include quotes from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice; and like Elizabeth Bennet, Rosalind seeks to know the truth of characters’ motivations and feelings through acute observation of small actions that border on the private—a sudden flush, a hesitation, an overheard conversation, a brief disappearance. A sweet romance involving the handsome Adam Harkness of the Bow Street Runners enhances the complex puzzle surrounding the pearls. Fans of Dianne Freeman and Anna Lee Huber will find much to enjoy. Agent: Lucienne Diver, Knight Agency. (Jan.)