[Review] - The Debutante's Code by Erica Vetsch

Available on Kindle and Paperback. 

About the Book

Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series.

Newly returning 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 spies. 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 the nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner, who suspects her of a daring theft.

Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents' last mission?

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.

My Review

The Regency era (1811-1820) isn't my usual cup of tea unless it has a Gothic setting, though I have read a few Regency romances - whenever the mood strikes me. I spent the last two days reading The Debutante's Code, book one in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mysteries by author Erica Vetsch. Like I already said, I'm not a big fan of the Regency era. You might be wondering why I would want to read this book? Well, the cover art struck a chord with me because it has a '70s Gothic romance vibe. Do you remember those covers with a woman running away from a castle? The cover art for The Debutante's Code reminds me of those old paperbacks, except it features a woman looking at the staircase. 

(FYI:  I wasn't alive during the '70s. I started collecting Gothic romances about twenty years ago.)

It took me several chapters to get emotionally invested with The Debutante's Code's heroine, Lady Juliette Thorndike, a character I didn't like at first, but, eventually, she charmed her way into my psyche, just enough for me to care about her. 

The main issue I have with historical romance and mysteries is that after reading too many of them, the genre becomes stale and predictable. In the beginning, the missing parents' plot felt a little too familiar, probably because I have a similar book in the past. Then the author tossed in a few twists involving spies, ciphers, and thieves, and this was when I became invested in the story.  

Overall, The Debutante's Code is an intriguing start to a new series. It's not a perfect read if there's such a thing, but besides some pacing issues, I enjoyed reading it. 

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), Instagram (@EricaVetsch) and Pinterest (Erica Vetsch).