The Duke’s Last Hunt

After three seasons, Eliza Malcolm despairs of finding a husband. Yet to her surprise, the hunting-mad Duke of Brockenhurst invites the Malcolms to his estate with the promise of courtship and possibly more. Confused but intrigued by the Duke’s interest, Eliza and her family set off for Harrowhaven, only to find more than they bargained for upon arrival. With the Duke’s estranged family members and her own parents giving Eliza trouble, only the Duke’s brother, Henry Rowland seems to care about her. Eliza isn’t sure who to trust, especially when tragedy occurs during a hunt and suddenly everyone is a murder suspect. When Bow Street Runner Jacob Pevensey is called in to investigate, secrets will come to light, and both Henry and Eliza will be forced to decide who to trust and whether love is enough.

A sweet but intriguing historical murder mystery, “The Duke’s Last Hunt” uses both romance and mystery to keep the reader entertained. While the pace is a bit slow and the story could potentially be cut down some, there is plenty of cute flirtation between Eliza and Henry, which will warm the heart. Further, the mystery itself keeps the reader guessing as more of the past and the Duke’s plans come out into the open. Much of the romance conflict is centered on Eliza misunderstanding Henry, but even the misunderstandings give the characters some depth. After finishing "The Duke's Last Hunt" readers will undoubtedly hope the next book is about Jacob Pevensey. Overall, a must read!

Sarah E. Bradley