A Beautiful Blue Death - (Charles Lenox Mysteries) by Charles Finch (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Equal parts Sherlock Holmes and P.G. Wodehouse, Charles Finch's debut mystery A Beautiful Blue Death introduces a wonderfully appealing gentleman detective in Victorian London who investigates crime as a diversion from his life of leisure.

Charles Lenox, Victorian gentleman and armchair explorer, likes nothing more than to relax in his private study with a cup of tea, a roaring fire and a good book. But when his lifelong friend Lady Jane asks for his help, Lenox cannot resist the chance to unravel a mystery.

Prudence Smith, one of Jane's former servants, is dead of an apparent suicide. But Lenox suspects something far more sinister: murder, by a rare and deadly poison. The grand house where the girl worked is full of suspects, and though Prue had dabbled with the hearts of more than a few men, Lenox is baffled by the motive for the girl's death.

When another body turns up during the London season's most fashionable ball, Lenox must untangle a web of loyalties and animosities. Was it jealousy that killed Prudence Smith? Or was it something else entirely? And can Lenox find the answer before the killer strikes again--this time, disturbingly close to home?

*BONUS CONTENT: This edition of A Beautiful Blue Death includes a new introduction from the author and a discussion guide

Review Quotes

"A delight book! . . . Charles Finch brings early Victorian England right into our homes, peppered with cucumber sandwiches and bodies. . . . It's a rare accomplishment to make a murder so charming and a detective so compelling." --Louise Penny

"A fine specimen of the genre.... Particularly good is [Finch's] delineation of Lenox's cozy-but-proper relationship with Lady Jane." --The Washington Post

"A remarkable debut." --Richmond Times-Dispatch

"The best sort of historical mystery--clever, charming, full of period detail, and a delight to read." --David Liss, author of The Whiskey Rebels

"Vividly capturing the essence of Victorian England, Finch presents us with a unique sleuth who combines the deductive powers of Sherlock Holmes with the people skills of Thomas Pitt. A sparkling achievement." --Library Journal (starred review)

About the Author