HISTORICAL ROMANCE: The Queen and the Knave by Sarah M. Eden

THE QUEEN AND THE KNAVE

The Dread Penny Society #5

by Sarah M. Eden

Shadow Mountain, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-63993-152-1

Source: ARC from publisher

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Deseretbook.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Romance and mystery come full circle in the fifth and final book of Sarah M. Eden’s best-selling Victorian Proper Romance series. London, 1866 Móirín Donnelly has spent the last five years working in the shadows for the Dread Penny Society, a secret fraternity of penny dreadful authors who use their profits, influence, and street smarts to protect the poor and vulnerable of Victorian London. But spending so much of her life in secret is taking its toll on her soul—and her heart. When members of the Dread Penny Society begin disappearing, Móirín turns to her friend Detective Constable Fitzgerald Parkington for help. The two have developed a friendly rapport, and Móirín feels like she can trust him, though perhaps not with all of her secrets. Fitzgerald Parkington has a sixth sense when it comes to tracking down criminals, which is why he’s recently been transferred to the Detective Department at Scotland Yard. But when roadblocks and red tape keep him from tracking down the criminal mastermind known as “The Tempest,” he must rely on the one woman who has unexpectedly captured his heart—the brash, bold, and fiery Irish lass, Móirín Donnelly. As the Tempest’s deadly reach threatens to overwhelm all of London, Móirín and Fitz are caught in an elaborate game of cat and mouse that leads down back alleys, through dark London buildings, and right to the gates of Kensington Palace. Móirín has one chance to save Fitz and the Dread Penny Society from the Tempest, and she might have to sacrifice her one chance at love to do so.

REVIEW

In this final volume of The Dread Penny Society series, Moirin Donnelly, the Dread Master, and her Dread Penny Society face off with the Tempest and her chosen and forced allies. Things are looking pretty bad as it's clear the Tempest plans to destroy Moirin and her adopted family of allies. Even the help of Detective Constable Fitzgerald Parkington may not be enough to save the day. On top of the stress of trying to stop the Tempest and protect her people, Moirin finds herself falling in love with Parkington (Parky) despite her status as a wanted fugitive. As more of her people disappear, Moirin is forced to make painful choices including the possibility of the ultimate sacrifice. Mixed in with the story are two penny dreadful tales 'written' by characters in the story, including an amusing story about two seventy-something ladies solving a murder. The second penny dreadful story revolves around a queen who has been cursed by a sorceress and has only days to find a way to end the curse and stop the sorceress from taking control of her kingdom. The parallels to the main storyline are clearly related to themes of teamwork and loyalty. 

The book makes for an explosive and satisfying conclusion to a delightful series. The multiple characters came to feel like a family leaving me fully invested in what happened to them. In this volume, Moirin and Fitz take center stage making for both a tender love story and an exciting conclusion to the series. Moirin and Fitz make for an interesting couple with their difficult childhoods and different paths. Fitz's grandfather disappeared leaving him alone on the streets struggling to survive. Yet survive he does, leading to a career in law enforcement and a determination to find out what happened to his grandfather. Moirin, of course, grew up on the streets of Dublin, Ireland with her brother Brogan, having promised to take care of her brother. But having killed a man in self-defense, she had to flee when she was accused of murder. Falling in love with a cop was not in her plans, but hearts don't always do as commanded. 

A fabulous series full of great characters and plenty of peril and twists and turns. The author did a great job of pulling me through the series both with the enjoyable penny dreadful stories and the compelling storylines. A great series for readers who enjoy romance entwined with something gothic mystery and compelling conflict.