A Scheming in Parliament

Vetsch (A Thieving at Carlton House) serves up a high-octane second entry in her Of Cloaks and Daggers series. The story opens in 1816, after Sir Bertrand Thorndike is elected to Parliament to investigate fellow MP Eustace Nicholls, who’s suspected of corruption. Life in Parliament is more exhausting than Bertie had anticipated, but he’s thankful for the help of friend and associate Philippa Castel, who helps him spy on Eustace and break into his office (though the pair find it frustratingly devoid of incriminating evidence). Philippa,who works for an organization that provides support to former prostitutes, soon receives a tip about shady dealings at the Theban Club—an exclusive, Egyptian-themed private society frequented by powerful Parliament members. As the pair investigate, they unearth a plot more dire, complex, and deadly than either could have imagined. Vetsch keeps the stakes high and the plot twists frequent, despite a few character arcs—including Philippa’s attempts to find God’s forgiveness for her escort past—that repeat from the previous installment. Readers will have a hard time putting this down. (Aug.)