The Mask of Night by Tracy Grant

A great sequel to Secrets of a Lady, taking place at the beginning of 1820, a few months after the events of that novel ended.

Charles and Mélanie Fraser, one of the most fashionable couples in London, are attending a masqued ball hosted by close friends. The party, however, soon ends when a dead man is found floating in a fountain, having been stabbed through the heart.

Charles and Mélanie, having only had a few months to recover from their own stressful ordeal, are asked to help and reluctantly agree. Charles soon finds out that Mélanie already knows who the dead man is, and Charles already knows he's not going to like why.

The mystery has plenty of twists and turns, shady characters and lots of action. Everybody seems to be hiding something, and as the story goes on, the layers are peeled back and we finally learn the truth.

However, the most fascinating aspect of this story, for me, is the relationship between Charles and Mélanie. I can't say much for those who haven't read Secrets of a Lady, but let's just say their relationship is still on very shaky ground from the revelations found out in that novel. They're still feeling each other out. The fact that their relationship isn't perfect is one of the big reasons why I love these books.

Another winner from Tracy Grant!

Vienna Waltz by Teresa Grant

1814. Vienna. A beautiful Princess has been murdered. The murderer could be anyone, for representatives from around the continent have gathered for the Congress of Vienna.

Vienna Waltz opens right in on the action, no set-up here. We find out things as we go along, and I love books like that. The hero and heroine of our tale: Malcolm and Suzanne Rannoch are thrust in the middle of the murder investigation, because on the night of the murder, Princess Tatiana had dispatched messages to meet her in her rooms. Malcolm and Suzanne among them. Unfortunately, the poor Princess is already dead before anyone arrives.

The Princess has been linked to everyone from the tsar to Suzanne's husband, and Suzanne can't shake the feeling that her husband had a special bond with the Princess – more than he's letting on.

The cause of the Princess' death could be anything. As we follow along with Malcolm and Suzanne, we are shown every aspect of Vienna: from glittering royal balls, operas, and secret meetings. Intrigue, danger, secrecy, and of course murder are all there. Nothing is as it seems. No one is to be trusted. Secrets must not be revealed, because the future of Europe is at stake.

Teresa (aka Tracy) Grant has written another gripping historical mystery. I was on the edge of my seat several times and even once almost threw the book in the air when I yelled, “I knew it!” No disappointment here!

I won an ARC from the author's blog.

Secrets of a Lady by Tracy Grant

Previously known as Daughter of the Game.

Oh, boy, this is my kind of book. I loved it. Fantastic Regency mystery. Fast-paced, intense dialogue, all kinds of twists and turns and lots of surprises.

Charles and Mélanie Fraser's son has just been kidnapped from his own home. In the search for a priceless heirloom, which is the key to getting him back, the Frasers have to trample in places that no self respecting member of high society would ever be caught dead in.

In their course, the Frasers unearth secrets that have been long buried. The dialogue that ensues is as harsh and honest that you'll ever see between a married couple.

The characters are intriguing and you never know who's hiding what. You never know who's around the corner ready to do someone in. People aren't what they appear to be. And there are moments that will just outright shock you.

This is the perfect regency, no doubt about it. You can see and just about smell the world you're reading. The descriptions are just right, not overdone.

I recommend this to any historical mystery lover.