A
Covent Garden Mystery
Captain Gabriel Lacey #6
by Ashley Gardner
Captain Gabriel Lacey has been approached by the Thames River Police and Bow Street to look into the matter of the
"game girls" who have vanished from the Covent Garden area. The officials are not worrying about them. As Lacey
is about to begin his investigations, he is confronted with the unexpected arrival of his daughter, Gabriella, and
her mother, Carlotta. Carlotta, his wife, had deserted him 15 years before, leaving with a French army officer.
She has been brought to England from France, where she has been living with James Denis, a powerful criminal who
will negotiate a divorce for Lacey. Lacey has had no idea where Carlotta has been and has not seen his daughter
for 15 years.
In the midst of Lacey's investigations, Gabriella goes missing. He enlists the aid of all his friends to seek
her. After one of the missing "game girls" is found murdered, they comb the streets and houses of London to find
Gabriella and the other "game girl" who is missing. Adding to the stress of his missing daughter is the problem of
his good friend, Lucius Grenville, one of the wealthiest men in England, and his paramour, Marianne Simmons.
This is a superbly told and involved story. Its characters are complex.
The dilemmas facing Lacey - whether to leave his daughter with the
family she has known all her life or claim her as his daughter,
and whether to divorce Carlotta or avoid the scandal - is told well.
Also involved is the problem of wealthy aristocratic Grenville in
love with Marianne Simmons, former actress and now his mistress.
The search for Gabriella introduces us to all of London. Its atmosphere
and people are colorfully described.
Other
reviews in this series
The Hanover
Square Affair #1 [amazon]
A Regimental Murder # 2 [review]
The Glass House #3 [review]
The Sudbury School Murders #4 [review]
A Body in Berkeley Square #5 [review]
A Covent Garden Mystery #6 [review]
Death in Norfolk #7 [review]
A Disappearance
in Drury Lane [review]
|
The Book |
Berkley
Prime Crime |
July
5, 2006 |
Paperback |
0425210863 |
Historical
Mystery / Regency / England |
Amazon |
The Reviewer |
Barbara
Buhrer |
Reviewed
2006 |
|