Penguin, New York, 1995

This is the second of four Julian Kestrel mysteries, set in London in the 1820s. And as Kate Ross, an American, died in 1998, only 44 years old, there won´t be any more of the series. This makes this classical mystery special reading.
A darling of the London society is brutally killed in his own house while one of his famous parties is taking place there. Agatha Christie would have been pleased with this convenient arrangement for dandy and amateur sleuth Julian Kestrel, who is asked by the father of the victim to conduct the investigation. There is still no police in London, only the “Bow Street Runners” who are looked down upon by the better classes. Kestrel doesn´t show this arrogance and works together with their boss quite effectively to solve the murder case in the end.
Kate Ross  creates the fashionable world of the 1820s in loving detail and at the same time she looks at society with her late 20th century eyes, especially as far as women´s rights are concerned. And she has a weakness for twins, which comes in handy when devising an enigmatic plot.
The reader is thrilled and readily admits Kestrel into the family of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot.