The royal wedding of Victoria’s son George to Mary of Teck has the city in turmoil. Some are fascinated by the spectacle of a royal wedding, others think the money would be better spent feeding the poor. It’s a time when Europe was ripe for revolution. Wedding guests include the Tsarevitch along with his mistress as well other Russians.
The city abounds with plots either to attack the Russian heir, or perhaps George is the target. The country’s security forces are on the job, but Jim Hercules doesn’t think they’re sufficient. He’s a friend the Tsarevitch, and is employed by the Russian royal family, but has no official role in protecting the Tsarevitch.
Jim is American, an ex-boxer and a black man. He takes it on himself to visit Barker and Llewelyn to enlist their help. Interested by the unusual situation, Barker and Llewelyn take the case and find that it’s more dangerous than it appeared on the surface with numerous would be assassins loose in the city.
This is an excellent addition to the Barker and Llewelyn Victorian mystery series. As usual the pace is fast, and the characters interesting, including the several historical personages who make and appearance. The Afterward contains additional history on the real characters. I recommend reading it.
Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. If you enjoy historical mystery fiction with realistic background, this is a great book.
I received this book from NetGalley for this review.
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