A Vengeful King Rises (House of Croft, #1) by Sophie Barnes 

Suspenseful and dark, a serial killer stalks the ballrooms of London. 

A Vengeful King Rises is the first book in author Sophie Barnes’s new historical mystery series, the House of Croft, and it is a fabulous debut. With engaging main characters pitting their wits against each other, a suspenseful plot, and a darkly atmospheric London setting, I was completely absorbed in the tale from its shocking opening to the final resolution. 

Adrian Croft turned his back on the family’s shady but lucrative business as soon as his father died. But when his younger sister becomes the mistaken victim of a serial killer stalking the upper-class debutantes who have developed “a reputation,” he decides to resurrect his father’s old organization to find the killer. Chief Constable Peter Kendrick, the lead investigator of the murders, has hit a brick wall, and his superiors are feeling the heat from even higher-ups. Rumors about the Croft family ‘business’ have circulated for decades, and more recent ones have hinted at its possible involvement in the deaths of the young society women, so Kendrick is tasked with ensnaring the new head of the family. The chief constable is more inclined to stay on the trail of the serial killer, and this smokescreen to divert attention from his lack of progress goes against the grain. 

To assist him in uncovering Adrian’s secrets is Miss Samantha Carmichael, a specially trained undercover operative and the perfect tool to gain Croft’s trust. She’s a fascinating main character, a modern woman, with her early childhood spent in an orphanage before being adopted by a member of the upper class. The result of her secret training has made her a clever and deadly foe of whomever she has in her sights. 

The plot hits the ground running, and the pace never slackens, with shocking twists and revelations complicating the intriguing mystery. The author tells a mesmerizing story, incorporating two different Londons: the privileged, high-flying one of the nobility and the dark and shadowy London of the poor and desperate. I felt like the killer was breathing down my neck as their thoughts became part of the narrative, someone obvious but hidden in plain sight. 

With its great characters, tense plot, and non-stop action, I recommend A VENGEFUL KING RISES to readers of historical mysteries and thrillers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through RABT Book Tours and PR.