Lady Killer

Book excerpt: The “sexy . . . breathtaking . . . wonderfully original” mystery in which a murderer returns from the dead—and is hell-bent on killing again (Jane Feather, New York Times–bestselling author of An Unsuitable Bride). A stridently independent woman in sixteenth-century London, Clio Thornton’s interest in solving mysteries has put her at odds with her wealthy family. But given her coterie of unorthodox friends—and her pet monkey, Toast—that is nothing new. So, when she stumbles upon a grisly murder, she’s determined to investigate, even when all of her discoveries point to an impossible killer: the Vampire of London, vanquished three years ago by Viscount Miles Loredan—her cousin’s husband-to-be. Miles finds her theories impossible to believe. But intrigued by her passion and her beauty, Miles agrees to hire her and support her investigation. What starts as a professional relationship soon becomes personal—and dangerous. Not only because Miles is betrothed to another woman—but because Clio has become the Vampire’s next target . . . For lovers of puzzling mysteries, romantic histories, or just good old-fashioned sleuthing, this is a fast, fun read from “a writer to watch” (Publishers Weekly).