Book Review: Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vetsch

MILLSTONE OF DOUBT by Erica Vetsch
SERIES: Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries #2
GENRE: Inspirational Historical/Regency Mystery/Romance
PUBLISHER: Kregel
RELEASE DATE: September 20, 2022
PAGES: 304

Regency London’s detective duo is back on a new case–and this one is going to be a killer

Caught in the explosion of the Hammersmith Mill in London, Bow Street Runner Daniel Swann rushes to help any survivors only to find the mill’s owner dead of an apparent gunshot.

Even though the owner’s daughter, Agatha Montgomery, mourns his death, it seems there are more than a few people with motive for murder. But Daniel can’t take this investigation slow and steady. Instead, he must dig through all the suspects as quickly as he can, because the clock is ticking until his mysterious patronage–and his job as a runner–comes to an abrupt and painful end. It seems to Daniel that, like his earthly father, his heavenly Father has abandoned him to the fates.

Lady Juliette Thorndike is Agatha’s bosom friend and has the inside knowledge of the wealthy London ton to be invaluable to Daniel. She should be in a perfect position to help with the case. Still, her instructor in the art of spy craft orders her to stay out of the investigation. But circumstances intervene, dropping her into the middle of the deadly pursuit.

When a dreadful accident ends in another death on the mill floor, Daniel discovers a connection to his murder case–and to his own secret past. Now he and Juliette are in a race to find the killer before his time runs out.

“Erica Vetsch once again weaves a classic tale of how the old affects the new. An artfully told story that will have you wondering at the outcome until the final pages are read.”– Ruth Logan Herne, USA TODAY best-selling author

Other Books In This Series

Ohhhhhhhhhh pardon me a moment to continue swooning over the delicious bits of romance we’re treated to in Millstone of Doubt, the latest Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery from Erica Vetsch. The sparks & suppressed feelings between Lady Juliette and Bow Street Runner Daniel Swann ramp up in this installment, and I could not be happier about it. Add in an undercover first kiss that had me reaching for my hypothetical fainting couch (I really do need to get one of those) … and then a pivotal moment between them as this particular story winds to a close … and I’m grinning like a besotted fool! <blissful sigh>

But I digress. There’s a lot more to this story besides just kissing and making my romantic-leaning heart happy. Much intrigue abounds – from a mysterious mill explosion to more than one murder to a brewing uprising from Luddites & anarchists, Juliette, Uncle Bertrand, and Daniel have their hands full. While perhaps not quite a mission for the Crown, the murder of Juliette’s best friend’s father certainly warrants her assistance, along with Uncle Bertie’s, as Daniel works in his Bow Street role to solve the case. As bodies pile up – including some very harrowing moments where our beloved characters almost joined them – time is of the essence, and I appreciated the way the author paced the plot and action to move the story along at the right moments. The mysteries in this book are cleverly spun, and the recurring characters are fabulously layered and lovable. We also get some answers we’ve been wondering about since The Debutante’s Code but it’s not necessary to have read that before Millstone of Doubt. Recommended but not strictly required.

Bottom Line: Millstone of Doubt is another smile-inducing, breath-stealing, and attention-capturing book by Erica Vetsch. It quickly wrapped me up in its charm and intrigue, and I am smarter about history after finishing it than I was before I started. A sweet faith thread is tucked into the pages naturally and will touch many hearts with a look at the goodness of God that rings true even when we can’t see it. All the while readers are delightfully immersed in the time period and indulging in such marvelous words as “perspicacious” and “toxophilite”. This is truly a story to curl up with and savor as an entire reading experience. Oh – and hang on to your bonnets – because there’s a stunning plot twist that will affect the rest of the series and you’ll need a moment to catch your breath. I didn’t see it coming but it made brilliant, perfect sense when it did. You’ll love it!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. In the interest of full disclosure, my company JustRead Tours was also paid to coordinate an earlier social media tour – finished before I wrote my review – for this title. It did not affect my review in any way. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4.5 stars / loved it!

KissingBook Level: 3+ / will forget to breathe on occasion

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Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling author and ACFW Carol Award winner and has been a Romantic Times top pick for her previous books. She loves Jesus, history, romance, and watching sports. This transplanted Kansan now makes her home in Rochester, Minnesota.

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