Even though its famous opera house has shuttered its doors for the war, Covent Garden remains one of the most exciting, bustling areas of London. It’s where Hannah Merrill and Aunt Violet have their bookshop and, in spite of the recent spate of burglaries in the area, it’s generally thought to be a good neighbourhood.
So Hannah is surprised when she sees a fellow shopkeeper – a jeweller named Jacob Cornelis – having a heated argument with a stranger. Especially when the next day Cornelis is found dead in his shop, apparently the victim of another burglary.
But what shocks Hannah more is when she meets the policeman supposedly there to investigate the crime. Because he is none other than the man who Hannah saw arguing with Cornelis the day before.
Hannah knows it’s up to her and Violet to investigate. But they don’t know they’re about to uncover a secret underworld of theft, murder and blackmail. And they must act fast, before the Covent Garden Killer strikes again.
I do like this series. I love Aunt Violet and how she encourages but also teaches Hannah to value her independence. However, she doesn’t entirely disregard social rules. I had to first ask what Violet was doing, and then Hannah. I thought both women were happy with their significant other, but now there was unhappiness. Thankfully, it was resolved but I was lost at first.
The mystery has several red herrings, but Hannah followed one of my biggest pet peeves. She put herself in danger without any backup or even a proper escape plan.
Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
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