Title: Murder at Kings Crossing (Wrexford & Sloane #8)
Author: Andrea Penrose
Dates read: 07/03/25 – 23/04/25
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publisher: Kensington Books
Number of pages: 369
Fiction or non-fiction: fiction
Subject or genre: historical fiction, mystery
Book blurb:
Celebration is in the air at Wrexford and Charlotte’s country estate as they host the nuptials of their friends, Christopher Sheffield and Lady Cordelia Mansfield. But on the afternoon of the wedding, the festivities are interrupted when the local authorities arrive with news that a murdered man has been discovered at the bridge over King’s Crossing, his only identification an invitation to the wedding. Lady Cordelia is horrified when the victim is identified as Jasper Milton, her childhood friend and a brilliant engineer who is rumored to have discovered a revolutionary technological innovation in bridge design. That he had the invitation meant for her cousin Oliver, who never showed up for the wedding, stirs a number of unsettling questions.
Both men were involved in the Revolutions-Per-Minute Society, a scientific group dedicated to making radical improvements in the speed and cost of transportation throughout Britain. Is someone plotting to steal Milton’s designs? And why has her cousin disappeared?
Wrexford and Charlotte were looking forward to spending a peaceful interlude in the country, but when Lady Cordelia resolves to solve the mystery, they offer their help, along with that of the Weasels and their unconventional inner circle of friends. The investigation turns tangled and soon all of them are caught up in a treacherous web of greed, ambition, and dangerous secrets. And when the trail takes a shocking turn, Wrexford and Charlotte must decide what risks they are willing to take with their family to bring the villains to justice . . .
How I discovered or acquired this book: I’ve been reading the series for a couple of years and was waiting patiently for my library to get it (because I read them all through either Libby or Borrowbox) – Kindle Unlimited came to my rescue!
My thoughts: Another clever and engaging installment from Andrea Penrose’s Wrexford & Sloane series! While I found myself preferring some of the earlier books — I think the balance of character development and mystery felt a little sharper in those — Murder at Kings Crossing still absolutely delivered on the things I’ve come to love about this series.
The historical setting is as rich and atmospheric as ever, full of moody London streets, sharp social politics, and the kind of twisty plots that keep you turning pages. Even when the mystery wasn’t quite as gripping for me as previous cases, I thoroughly enjoyed the company of these characters. Wrexford’s cutting logic, Charlotte’s determined wit, and the growing web of relationships in their world continue to be the real heart of the series.
If you’ve been following the series, this is a strong and enjoyable addition — not quite my personal favourite, but still a satisfying, well-paced read with all the charm I expect from Penrose.