The Debutante's Code

Title: The Debutante's Code

Series: Thorndike & Swann Regency Mysteries #1

Author: Erica Vetsch

Publisher: Kregel Publications

Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Regency

Source: Publisher provided

My Review:

This is the first full-length novel that I have read by Erica Vetsch, so I was not quite sure what to expect. I picked this book to read because it sounded really good. Plus, look at that cover!! What's not to love?

The Debutante's Code had a slow start. I had a bit of a time getting into and if I'm honest, finishing it. I think I was expecting more action than there was. However, there was enough mystery and intrigue to keep me going.

I liked Juliette. She tries to be sweet and proper, as she's been taught, even in the middle of the biggest disappointment of her life. There is much she doesn't understand about what is going on around her, yet she keeps doing what she is supposed to do. She handles everything with grace, and at times, good humor. She is a good friend to Agatha, even though she seems to be more mature than Agatha.

While Daniel Swann is the second leading character we do not get enough information about him. He is difficult to get to know. He is great at his job even when his co-workers have obvious disdain for him.

Toward the middle of the book, you can start to see the pieces of the puzzle coming together. The story is intricately woven together and well thought out. It does leave some things hanging at the end, leaving room for lots of revelation and more about Daniel in the second book.

Thank you to Kregel Publications for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

★★★/5

GIVEAWAY

The winner will receive a Pride and Prejudice throw blanket from Litographs and a copy of The Debutante's Code.  Click on the graphic below to be taken to the giveaway!

 

About the Author

Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling and ACFW Carol Award–winning author. She is a 

transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is both her total 

opposite and soul mate. Vetsch is the author of many novellas and novels, including the popular 

Serendipity & Secrets Regency series and the new Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery series

Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning 

her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. 

Learn more about Erica Vetsch and her books at www.ericavetsch.com. She can also be found 

on Facebook (@EricaVetschAuthor) and Instagram (@EricaVetsch).

Synopsis (from Goodreads): 

Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series

Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn't spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They've been living double lives as government spies--and they're only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family's legacy.

Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spy craft. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors--not to mention nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner Daniel Swann, who suspects her of a daring theft.

Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents' last mission? Or will it lead her to a terrible end?

Best-selling author Erica Vetsch is back with a rollicking, exciting new series destined to be a hit with Regency readers who enjoy a touch of mystery in their love stories. Fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, and Anne Perry will love the wit, action, and romance.