Distraught over her younger sister Susan’s decision to leave for America and weary of shepherding her employer Mrs. Frogerton’s daughter in her relentless pursuit of marrying a peer, Caroline is dealt another blow when her family solicitors indicate they may have found the lost heir to the Morton earldom.
Possible heir Thomas, his mother Mrs. Scutton, and her widowed daughter Mary all descend on Mrs. Frogerton’s home on Half Moon Street. The air inside the house is soon thick with family tension and the near palpable presence of avarice. But things go from tense to tragic following the appearance of Mary’s dead husband—very much alive and recently released from debtors’ prison. Unseen by Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton, a fight breaks out upstairs, leaving Mary fatally stabbed and her mother wounded.
The manhunt is on for Mary’s husband, led by Inspector Ross. But both Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton begin to suspect that all is not as it seems The Scuttons have brought more than trouble into the home—they may be harboring secrets that could put Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton’s very lives at risk.
Miss Morton and the Missing Heir by Catherine Lloyd is a satisfying installment that continues to deepen both its mystery and its characters. As someone who reads a lot of detective novels and watches more crime shows than I’ll admit, I had a fairly strong idea of who the murderer might be—but Lloyd kept me guessing just enough that I seriously questioned another suspect along the way. That balance of predictability and doubt makes the mystery engaging rather than frustrating.
The real highlight, though, is Caroline Morton’s growth. She feels more confident, more self-assured, and increasingly comfortable trusting her instincts. I especially enjoyed seeing her relationship with Mrs. Frogerton continue to develop; their dynamic is warm, sharp, and genuinely fun, and I’m eager to see how it grows in future books.
That said, I am firmly over Dr. Harris. I have no interest in a potential romantic triangle—please, no more. Let Caroline’s independence, and romantic future, shine without that distraction.
Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.
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