Unlikely Traitors - (Ursula Marlow Mysteries) by Clare Langley-Hawthorne (Paperback)

About the Book

Ursula Marlow thought she was done with death, but when her fiancâee, Lord Wrotham, is arrested on charges of treason, her world is turned upside down. It is the winter of 1913, and the British Parliament, unsettled on the question of Home Rule for Ireland, is shaken over allegations of a plot to sell naval military secrets to Kaiser's Germany and liberate Ireland from English rule. For the first time, Ursula must work together with Chief Inspector Harrison to uncover the truth about Lord Wrotham's involvement, as well as his mysterious past. As the investigation continues, Ursula is drawn into the shadowy world of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and a web of espionage and betrayal. She must race against time to clear Lord Wrotham's name and thwart a plot that threatens not only British national security, but also her life.

Book Synopsis

Ursula Marlow thought she was done with death, but when her fiancé, Lord Wrotham, is arrested on charges of treason, her world is turned upside down. It is the winter of 1913, and the British Parliament, unsettled on the question of Home Rule for Ireland, is shaken over allegations of a plot to sell naval military secrets to Kaiser's Germany and liberate Ireland from English rule. For the first time, Ursula must work together with Chief Inspector Harrison to uncover the truth about Lord Wrotham's involvement, as well as his mysterious past.

As the investigation continues, Ursula is drawn into the shadowy world of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and a web of espionage and betrayal. She must race against time to clear Lord Wrotham's name and thwart a plot that threatens not only British national security, but also her life.

Review Quotes

Praise for Consequences of Sin
"This debut novel introduces an intriguing new female sleuth with broad appeal. An action-packed plot, rich period detail, and a bit of romance will insure that readers of cozies and historical mysteries will find much to enjoy." --Booklist

"Blending historical fiction and the amateur-sleuth whodunit with a generous helping of romance, Langley-Hawthorne's first novel may surprise readers with its subtle narrative complexity. The unexpected plot twists at the book's conclusion, particularly, make Consequences of Sin a must-read for anyone who enjoys historical mysteries. The first in a projected series, featuring a tenacious--and endearing--protagonist." --Paul Goat Allen, Barnes & Noble

"Romance readers should appreciate the conflict between the heroine's attraction to the dark, handsome Lord Wrotham and her sense of duty to marry the man her father intended for her." --Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Serpent and the Scorpion
"Pre-World War I England is a seething cauldron of conflicting ideologies as Bolsheviks, suffragettes, socialists and merchants of death battle for control. . . . Ursula's second period adventure caps its romance and mystery with a shocking climax." --Kirkus Reviews

"The book sweeps from the steamy bazaars of Egypt to proper English drawing rooms as Ursula battles international intrigue and her own sensuous nature. Dorothy Sayers would be proud of her Oxford sister." --Rhys Bowen, award-winning author of the Molly Murphy Mysteries and the Royal Spyness Mysteries

"Showing an admirable grasp of social and political history, Langley-Hawthorne closes her tightly knit tale with an unexpected twist that will leave readers impatient for the next book." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Clare Langley-Hawthorne was raised in England and Australia. She was an attorney in Melbourne before moving to the United States, where she began her career as a writer. Her first novel, Consequences of Sin, featuring the Oxford graduate, heiress, and militant suffragette Ursula Marlow, was published in 2007. The second book in the series, The Serpent and the Scorpion, was published in 2008. Consequences of Sin was a San Francisco Chronicle Bay Area bestseller and a Macavity Award nominee for best historical mystery.

Langley-Hawthorne now lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, twin boys, and collie, Hamish.