Description:

Can London's most elusive killer elude the keen minds of Scotland Yard's most unlikely pair of detectives? An Irish redhead of humble beginnings and modest means, Kathleen Doyle is the antithesis of Chief Inspector Michael Sinclair, Lord Acton, the brilliant but enigmatic lord with a knack for solving London's most high profile homicides. When a horse trainer is found dead at a racetrack, the duo's investigation does little to deter the killer at large. Jeopardizing the case are their colleagues at CID headquarters, whose nosing into the nature of Doyle and Acton's after hours relationship threatens to lay bare the most classified information of all. As the murders pile up, Doyle and Acton uncover something far more sinisiter than they could have imagined. Now that they know too much, their partnership could be very brief indeed. . . "It's been a long time since I encountered two characters this charming and engaging. I look forward to more of their adventures." --David Morrell, *New York Times *bestselling author "[T]his entertaining pair will linger in readers' imaginations, making them want more." --*Booklist* ** ### From Booklist Chief Inspector Acton of Scotland Yard, a British lord, and his protégée, first-year Detective Constable Kathleen Doyle, an Irish redhead of humble origins, definitely rate readers’ attention. Doyle’s gift for reading people makes her invaluable to the veteran inspector, yet she struggles to keep her coveted entry position and build on her meager education by using multisyllabic words she’s researched and practiced to enlarge her vocabulary and impress Acton. Their growing bond is deftly depicted by Cleeland as Acton quietly offers a loan to Doyle, who is trying to make ends meet. From pride and professionalism, she declines, but the telling incident lingers powerfully for her, just as this entertaining pair will linger in readers’ imaginations, making them want more. Their first venture in a planned series involves a racecourse trainer, possibly involved with dangerous underworld types, whose murder is quickly followed by his girlfriend’s. Hopefully, the sequel will follow quickly, too. --Whitney Scott ### About the Author ANNE CLEELAND holds a degree in English from UCLA as well as a law degree from Pepperdine and is a member of the California State Bar. She writes historical fiction set in the Regency period and contemporary romantic suspense. A member of the Historical Novel Society, she lives on Balboa Island in Newport Beach, California, and has four children.