Winter's Season

by

R.J. Koreto

Intriguing Regency-era murder mystery among the ton during London's season.

Winter's Season by R.J. Koreto is an intriguing Regency-era murder mystery set in 1817 London during the season. When a young noblewoman is murdered, her body found discarded in an alley in an unsavory area of town, Captain Edmund Winter, of the Home Office and involved in the development of the new Bow Street investigative service, is assigned to unravel the case discreetly. 

Winter is an interesting, multi-faceted character who straddles the well-entrenched class lines of Regency England. Born a farmer's son, he formed a close childhood friendship with the noble landowner's son, the future Earl, which led to a gentleman's education and an officer's commission. This decorated veteran of the Napoleonic Wars finds a career as the criminal investigator, or "special emissary," for the Home Office, and is attached to Bow Street. His unusual upbringing and aristocratic connections makes him uniquely qualified to investigate wrong doing among the peerage as well as those among the lower classes. Although not a member of the ton by birth nor viewed as one of their own by the working class, Winter moves with confidence among both. As one of the first of his kind (a detective for the government), he conducts a well-structured investigation along the lines of an historical police procedural. Winter is joined by several major but secondary characters who provide assistance in his criminal investigations and introduces possible romantic interests, for "it is a truth universally acknowledged" and all that. 

The plot is well-paced and kept me fully engaged from start to finish. I love mysteries from this time period, in the days before Bow Street was well and truly organized and still finding its place. I thought the Captain's investigation followed logical directions and was surprised by some of the revelations he brought to light. While I didn't figure out the truth behind the murder on my own, the identity of the killer and their motive made sense, though I had questions about the practicality of how they did what they did. Still, I hope this turns into a series. 

I recommend WINTER'S SEASON to readers of historical mysteries, especially fans of the author's previous work and of Sophie Barnes's House of Croft series. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.