The Matter of the Secret Bride

Praise

Praise for Darcie Wilde’s Mysteries featuring Rosalind Thorne

“Wilde maintains steady momentum all the way to a satisfying conclusion. Fans of Andrea Penrose and Anna Lee Huber will be pleased.” —Publishers Weekly on The Secret of the Lady’s Maid

“Wilde moves deftly between the personal and political in a complex tale of love and betrayal.” —Kirkus Reviews on The Secret of the Lady’s Maid
 
“Rosalind Thorne treads a knife edge in [Regency] London….Penniless, she maintains her small household by helping more prosperous members of the haute ton solve their problems….Wilde springs a series of surprises….that are also opportunities for the reader to bond with her….Compelling.” —Kirkus Review, STARRED REVIEW on The Secret of the Lost Pearls

“Well-crafted…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…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.” —Publishers Weekly on The Secret of the Lost Pearls

“Fans of female-led historical mysteries will delight in the way Rosalind traverses both the respectable drawing rooms and the seamy underside of Regency London hidden beneath the manners and tea.” —Historical Novel Society on The Secret of the Lost Pearls

“Compelling period drama.” —Kirkus Review on A Counterfeit Suitor
 
“Meticulously crafted…Rosalind is an empathetic, perceptive lead, and her relationships with her caring friends add much to the book’s appeal. A plot as complex as a Chinese puzzle box will keep readers turning the pages. Wilde offers a fascinating, richly detailed look at Regency society.” —Publishers Weekly on A Counterfeit Suitor
 
“A well-researched story, the narrative is fast-paced with spot-on dialogue…An absolute delight.” —Historical Novel Society on A Counterfeit Suitor
 
“Wilde writes about high society social codes the same way Phoebe Waller-Bridge makes cheeky asides in “Fleabag.”” —Bookpage on A Lady Compromised
 
  “Complex social networks spark an equally complex puzzle.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW for A Lady Compromised
 
“Wilde does a good job balancing accurate period detail with a look at such matters as the difference between attraction and compatibility, and the weight of family obligations. Lovers of Regency mysteries and smart female sleuths will be eager for more.” —Publishers Weekly on A Lady Compromised
 
“Wilde’s description of people, places, and events create an immersive experience for the reader…A Lady Compromised portrays the outwardly straight-laced mores a complicated social connections of the country gentry vividly through a varied cast of characters.” —Mystery Scene on A Lady Compromised
 
“Wilde delivers an intriguing, well-researched novel that sweeps readers into the not-so-quiet hills of the 19th-century English countryside.” —Historical Novels Review on A Lady Compromised
 
“Rosalind is a great character, sharp-witted, intelligent, and independent-minded.  She has often been compared to Elizabeth Bennet, as is natural, because the series is clearly inspired by Jane Austen’s novels, but I think a closer parallel would be to Anne Elliot in Persuasion.” —Aunt Agatha’s Bookstore on A Lady Compromised
 
“A Lady Compromised is a complex, enthralling mystery that rivals those of Anne Perry and Agatha Christie.” —New York Journal of Books
 
“Rosalind carries the soul of Sherlock Holmes in the world of Elizabeth Bennet, and it’s a hard combination to beat.” —BookPage on And Dangerous to Know
 
“Wilde has a sure hand on the reins of her prose, which results in a fast-paced and enjoyable story.” —Historical Novel Society on And Dangerous to Know
 
“Wilde smoothly mixes historical figures and events into a plot that’s sure to keep readers turning the pages to see what happens next. Regency fans will be charmed.” —Publishers Weekly on And Dangerous to Know
 
“The Regency frame is skillfully woven through a story that features surprising plot twists and an engaging subplot concerning Rosalind’s dilemma over whom to marry—Harkness or a duke who will allow her to reclaim her past.” —Booklist on And Dangerous to Know
 
“Impressive… Wilde brings the haute monde of early 19th-century London to vivid life, and the characters she peoples it with are complex individuals whose basic decency, or lack of it, is carefully hidden behind a facade of manners and propriety.” —Publishers Weekly on A Useful Woman
 
“Wilde has done a masterful job of recreating the tone and language of Austen’s England…Rosalind is a spirited, sympathetic heroine… Wilde has given her just enough modern sensibilities to make her relatable but never oversteps in a way that divorces from the realities of the time…Here is a mystery with a nice balance between the salacious and the sad, the gratifying and the tragic.” —Criminal Element on A Purely Private Matter