"Great historical mystery featuring a complex character from author's Outlander series."

Lord John Grey is torn between the two parts of his life - his loyalty to his family and an urgent matter for the Crown.

While at a club in London, John notices that the fiancé of his cousin, Olivia, seems to have syphilis. Horrified, he can't figure out a way to discern if the Honorable Joseph Trevelyan is in fact ill, making the marriage impossible. Consumed with that problem, John finds himself drawn into a murder and espionage investigation for the Crown. And when investigations of the two very separate events finds them overlapping, it becomes even more odd.

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Gabaldon. I am definitely a fan, although, I must admit to being surprised by John's homosexuality. I was expecting a more traditional romance - and wasn't in the least upset that I didn't get it. I definitely want to read the Outlander series, which first introduced Lord John Grey, after reading this book. Great writing!

Reviewed by Morgan Chilson
Courtesy Old Book Barn Gazette
Posted September 23, 2003

Summary

Adored bestselling author Diana Gabaldon brings us the first book in a new trilogy featuring many of the characters from her wildly popular Outlander series.

In her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels, Diana Gabaldon introduced millions of readers to a dazzling world of history and adventure -- a world of vibrant settings and utterly unforgettable characters. Now one of these characters, Major Lord John Grey, opens the door to his own part of this world -- eighteenth-century London, a seething anthill of nobility and rabble peopled by soldiers and spies, whores and dukes. Great Britain is battling France for supremacy on three continents -- and life is good for a soldier.

The year is 1757. On a clear morning in mid-June, Lord John Grey emerges from London's Beefsteak Club, his mind in turmoil. A nobleman and a high-ranking officer in His Majesty's Army, Grey has just witnessed something shocking. But his efforts to avoid a scandal that might destroy his family are interrupted by something still more urgent: the Crown appoints him to investigate the brutal murder of a comrade in arms, who may have been a traitor.

Obliged to pursue two inquiries at once, Major Grey finds himself ensnared in a web of treachery and betrayal that touches every stratum of English society -- and threatens all he holds dear. From the bawdy houses of London's night- world to the stately drawing rooms of the nobility, and from the blood of a murdered corpse to the thundering seas ruled by the majestic fleet of the East India Company, Lord John pursues the elusive trails of a vanishing footman and a woman in green velvet, who may hold the key to everything -- ornothing.

The early days of the Seven Years War come brilliantly to life in this historical mystery by an author whose unique and compelling storytelling has engrossed millions of readers worldwide.