* 3.5 stars *

Philip Sinclair, the Duke of Fournier, was found next to the body of murdered opera singer, Miss Belladora Lovejoy, covered in her blood. In what appeared to be a straightforward case, Bow Street Officer Hugh Marsden arrested the Duke, taking the opportunity to apprehend a member of the upper echelons of society that he had been exiled from. Audrey Sinclair, the Duchess of Fournier, was certain her husband could not have been guilty of murder but she couldn't divulge the reason why so she took a different approach and conducted her own investigation.

I liked how Audrey and Philip shared a marriage of friendship and respect, accepting and keeping each other's secrets. They truly loved one another, even if not necessarily in the traditional way. Audrey possessed a unique ability that allowed her to touch an object and read its energy. She was able to see its history unwind as she closed her eyes, looking into the past to see events unfold. I found this to be a fascinating idea for a premise, curious to see how she would use this skill to prove her husband's innocence.

Brave and somewhat reckless, Audrey possessed intelligence and quick wit, embodying the perfect female sleuth. I loved the dynamic between Audrey and Hugh. Audrey viewed Hugh as arrogant and infuriating while Hugh found Audrey to be exasperating and frustrating in her relentless pursuit of justice. Enemies at first, Audrey and Hugh began to trust one another in order to work together as it seemed Audrey was correct in her assumption about the Duke's innocence. As Audrey and Hugh spent more time with each other, a romantic subplot began to simmer with tension. I would have liked to see that further developed in this book but hopefully that will evolve later in the series. I would also have liked to learn more about the Duke's life following the scandal as well as look deeper into Hugh's past and the story of why he was cast out of polite society and shunned by his peers.

This was a tale of jealousy, betrayal and murder. It was thought provoking and shed light on how far members of high society would go to preserve their reputations, protecting their secrets and truths at any cost. The mystery itself involved an interesting cast of characters, each with a motive of his or her own. The twists and turns were interesting to follow, alternating viewpoints as the plot progressed. The story moved a little slowly in the middle but the pace began to pick up again as the risk of danger presented itself. I was engaged in the storyline throughout but the identity of the murderer was somewhat disappointing and it wasn't the surprising denouement I was hoping for. I still think this was a solid start to this new historical mystery series and I enjoyed the writing style so I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes next.

** Special thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Available January 28, 2023. **

This is one of those books that I judged based on the cover. I am not too fond of real people on covers, but the title and the blurb sounded exciting. And I am SO glad I picked it up. The characters are absolutely amazing and so real. Audrey is a relatable protagonist. She wants to do so much while being so constrained by society. I liked how she made various mistakes but learns from them every step of the way. Love the relationship between Audrey and Hugh. I'm so glad this is a series, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

On the flip side, the pacing in the first few chapters is a bit off. We are fed a lot of different important information in a rushed manner. I think it would have been better to keep more of the suspense and let the information comes out more organically later in the story.

An excellent book, regardless.

What made this book a 5-star read for me was the quality of the writing as well as the beautifully executed slow-burn dance between Hugh Marsden, a Bow Street Runner with a complicated, tarnished past, and Audrey Sinclair, Duchess of Fournier. Their evolving relationship, as Audrey tries to free her incarcerated husband, Philip, after he is arrested as the sole suspect in the gruesome murder of an opera singer by Hugh, is riveting to watch, and I found that I couldn't put this book down because I wanted to know what would happen next between them. The story is well-written, the plot well thought out and the characters drawn with depth and nuance. I am looking forward to reading more in this series, not only to see how Audrey can use her gift to help solve mysteries with Hugh, but also to see what happens with these two who have a very strong pull toward each other, despite their differences in station and the fact that Audrey is married. Does Audrey ever get some happiness in her life (I honestly don't think Philip is good enough for her) and does Hugh ever come clean with his burgeoning feelings for her? I hope so, but I plan to continue following this series to find out, especially if the overarcing storyline of their relationship remains as good as it is in this first book of the Bow Street Duchess series. Such a great read that I enjoyed very much!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

A gruesome murder, a family with twisted secrets, a gift or a curse... and it is all set in the 19th century London. Trust me, it's a very good set up for the historical series.
Audrey Sinclair, the Duchess of Fournier will do anything to prove her husband's innocence in one of the most gruesome and horrific murders in London. But will she disclose the very private secret to the grumpy and tough Bow Street officer Hugh Marsden? Or won't she. Will her special ability help her or doom her beyond salvation?
Cara Delvin started a very interesting and intriguing Bow Street Duchess Mysteries. I enjoyed the first one. Let's see how it goes.
Highly recommend to the lovers of crime, mystery, historical crime and 19th century England

A little bit historical fiction mixed with some mystery makes for an entertaining novel that kicks off what looks to be a great series! I hope it will be a long one.

Oh, I really loved this book. Everything about it appealed to me; historical, murder, paranormal, romance and mystery.

The Duchess and Hugh become unlikely allies after her husband is arrested for the murder of an opera singer. Hugh is certain he has the right man until the evidence starts to create doubt in his mind. He and Audrey keep crossing paths as she conducts her own investigation and they eventually begin to trust one another and work together. I enjoyed watching them become friends and the spark between them will surely lead to more sexual tension in the next book.

The main characters all have interesting backstories. There is still some mystery surrounding Hugh's past but there is enough to understand his background and it will be interesting to find out more as the series progresses.
I liked Audrey's husband, Philip and it leads me to worry about whether there is an impending death for him somewhere along the line to eventually allow Audrey and Hugh to marry.
Hugh's eyes and ears on the street, the boy he calls Sir, was a cute addition and I hope he gets involved in more cases and is rewarded well.

The murder of the opera singer was brutal. It set an ominous and suspenseful tone to the story as Audrey began her investigations by interviewing people any of whom could potentially be the cold-blooded killer.
I found this book difficult to put down and I finished reading it fairly quickly.
I can't wait until March for the next book in the series, Death at Fournier Downs.

A well-deserved five stars for Murder At The Seven Dials.

I loved this historical mystery!

This book had a complex mystery, interesting characters, and a touch of romantic tension. Regency England is the perfect setting for a dark and dramatic murder. The mystery plot had a lot of depth and kept me guessing as new clues were revealed. The hint of romantic tension between the main characters makes me want to read more in this series

This is my first Cara Devlin book, but after reading Murder at the Seven Dials, I started to search out more of her books to read. I just learned that book two in the series is available on Kindle Unlimited!

When an opera singer is murdered and a duke is found drenched in her blood, Bow Street Officer Hugh Marsden believes this is a straightforward case. But Audrey Sinclair, the Duchess of Fournier, is certain her husband is wrongly accused, and she’s determined to prove it to the arrogant Bow Street officer. She will do everything that she can to guide her investigation. Hugh is convinced that she has her own secrets but with the true killer is still at large, he has no choice but to help her solve the crime.
This is a great murder/mystery with a touch of romance. There are many layers to this story so that it is never considered a simple romance. Whilst there is attraction between the two, she is still married which is a significant component of this book. As a series, this will certainly play out to be interesting concept.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.2 Stars
One Liner: Interesting start to a new series

Bow Street Officer Hugh Marsden finds the Duke of Fournier with the murdered body of an opera singer. He arrests the duke, considering it a straightforward case. After all, Hugh got a chance to arrest a peer, and he wasn’t going to let it slip from his hands.
What he didn’t expect was the Duchess of Fournier, Audrey Sinclair, to take an active role in the case and conduct her own investigation. She knows her husband is innocent and is determined to prove it. What secret ability does the duchess have that she is so sure of the duke’s innocence?
Hugh and Audrey continue to clash even as they work to solve the case for separate reasons. Soon, Hugh realizes that the killer is at large and that joining forces with Audrey is the only way to keep her safe. With secrets to safeguard and protect from each other, can the duo solve the case before either of them is targeted by the killer?
The story comes from a limited third-person POV of Hugh and Audrey.

My Thoughts:
This is a steady-paced mystery with the right elements of danger, intrigue, and a touch of paranormal abilities. The story starts strong and continues to keep us hooked.
Audrey is no dainty flower, but she isn’t strong either. She is a mix of determination, vulnerability, fear, and stupidity. Audrey’s reasons justify her actions even if some of her decisions make us shake our heads and roll our eyes.
Hugh’s character arc is well-done. He isn’t without faults but is also quick to acknowledge his mistakes. His murky past adds a layer of intrigue and makes him a sort of brooding hero from the regency era. The primary difference, of course, lies in the fact that Hugh is not one of the ton.
The plot manages to create a subtle tension between the lead pair without overdoing it (given their character backgrounds). It has Lady Julia Grey (series by Deanna Raybourn) vibes, so I’m curious to see how this will be handled in the next books.
The mystery progresses well, revealing information in bits and pieces. I like how the suspect changes with each revelation. The paranormal element is just there, enough to show us what the duchess can and cannot do.
As the first book in the series, it hits the right notes with ease. It provides enough backstory about the characters to set the stage and solve the case.

To summarize, Murder at the Seven Dials is a well-written historical mystery with a good pace, an engaging plotline, and interesting characters. I look forward to reading the next book soon.
Thank you, NetGalley and BooksGoSoical, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

A well-developed story with a good mystery and plenty of twists. And some good action and a touch of romance. I love the Regency time period and the author does a good job in recreating the feel of the time as well as the attitudes. The characters have depth and carry baggage that promises to make future stories very interesting. This is the first in a series and I will definitely be reading more of it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Murder at the Seven Dials by Cara Devlin
Bow Street Duchess #1

Excellent introduction to a new series. Couldn’t put it down. Can’t wait for book two.

What I liked;
* Audrey: Duchess of Fournier, married to her childhood friend and keeps his secret as he keeps hers, extrasensory perception of psychometry, has spent time in an asylum due to her paranormal ability, seeks to prove her husband is not guilty of the murder he was arrested for, admirable, strong, intelligent, intriguing
* Huge Marsden: principal Bow Street officer, nanny’s son, Viscount’s by-blow, scandal in his past, good friend of Dr. Thornton, well educated and eloquent, willing to admit mistakes, protective, intelligent, accepting, intriguing
* The respect, friendship, and commitment Audrey and Philip have within their marriage – it has saved them both from a difficult alternative future
* Sir: young lad, poor, enterprising, nose to the ground, works off and on for Marsden
* The writing, plot, pacing, character development, potential of the story
* That it reminded me of some favorite historical mysteries I have read in the past
* The way the real murderer is ultimately found and dealt with
* The intricacies of the relationships that may develop that will involve Audrey, Philip, Hugh, and others
* Reading a new-to-me author I hope will become a favorite

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how difficult it would have been to live in this era

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to the NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

With a mix of historical fiction, a perplexing mystery and a hint of the supernatural, “Murder at the Seven Dials” by Cara Hunter is a strong entry in a new murder mystery series.
Hugh Marsden is a Bow Street police officer and he is the first officer on the scene at a violent murder. A young opera singer was murdered and the immediate suspect is found covered in her blood. The suspect however, turns out to be the Duke of Fournier.
As soon as news of the murder reaches her ears, the Duchess launches her own investigation and immediately comes into conflict with Marsden. After some awkward meetings, they begin to trust one another and start working together on the case.
To summarise: Dark, yet funny, romantic and highly entertaining, I’m eagerly looking forward to the next outing for our unlikely duo.

4.5 Stars
A murdered opera singer. A duke drenched in her blood. For Bow Street Officer Hugh Marsden, the brutal killing is a straightforward case. But Audrey Sinclair, the Duchess of Fournier, is certain her husband Philip is wrongly accused, after all she knows her husband and she’s determined to prove it to the arrogant Bow Street officer, even if she must employ her most peculiar ability—or perhaps curse—to guide her investigation. Exasperated with the meddling duchess, Hugh is convinced she is protecting her own secrets, and the duke’s. But when Audrey’s discoveries persuade him to believe the true killer is still at large, he has no choice but to join her in the hunt—if only to keep her from becoming the next victim.
A new author to me & a new series & I found it to be a very well written engrossing book. The murder mystery was intriguing & how & why it was committed had me guessing until the last moment. The characters were well portrayed with plenty of depth. I loved both Hugh & Audrey & loved how the dynamics of their relationship grew & changed especially after she divulged some secrets. She was one determined lady & I admired her for doing what she had to in order to help Philip. He was intelligent, open minded & not afraid to be wrong, the chemistry between them just grew but I'm not sure where it can go as Audrey is married, it may be an unusual marriage but married she is.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

1819. Seven Dials London. Philip Sinclair, Duke of Fournier is discovered covered in the blood of dead opera singer Belladora Lovejoy. Who had been stabbed multiple times. He is arrested by Principal Officer at Bow Street, Hugh Marsden. Audrey, Duchess of Fournier, along side Marsden, knowing her husband is innocent investigates with the help of her special skill.
An entertaining well-written historical mystery with its element of paranormal. A good start to this new series though I didn't take to the character of Audrey. Hopefully she will improve as the series continues.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an intriguing and most enjoyable story. I loved the paranormal element to it as well. Audrey Sinclair, Duchess of Fournier, was no ordinary lady, she was very determined and would go to any lengths to achieve her goal. Hugh Marsden, was a Bow Street officer, who had reasons to hate the aristocracy. There are events in both their backgrounds that has affected them. At first, the two didn’t get on but as they got to know each other, so their attitudes changed. The plot was quite complex and took some working out but it had me gripped from the beginning. I’m looking forward to the next in the series, which I’ve preordered. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars rounded up. Murder at the Seven Dials is a fun and compelling mixture of historical mystery, a hint of romance and a dash of the paranormal. The promos that recommend this book for fans of Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber, Andrea Penrose and Kerrigan Byrne (some of my favorite authors) are spot on. I can't wait to read what's next for Audrey and Hugh!

Audrey is an interesting character. Her social status as a duchess gives her power to move through her social circles, but she keeps to the outskirts of society to avoid drawing attention to herself and her husband. At a young age, she was committed to an asylum for her ability to "see" the past by touching objects. She now keeps her ability a secret, known only to her estranged family and her husband -- her childhood best friend who agreed to a marriage of convenience to keep his own secrets safe from society. After Audrey's husband is found semi-unconscious at a gruseome murder scene covered in the blood of the victim, Audrey is forced to use her second sight, as well as her skills of observation and lock-picking, to exonerate her husband.

Hugh Marsden -- the Bow Street officer investigating the murder and convinced that Audrey's husband is guilty -- similarly has a traumatic past that we start to learn about here. Despite being the illegitimate child of a nobleman, he grew up in the household with his half-siblings. We don't learn the full details of what happened to precipitate his falling out with the family and his duel with his half-brother that led to the Viscount's serious injury, but the public has spread salacious rumors about him as a result. Due to his contentious past with the upper classes, he ignores Audrey's initial attempts to convince him of the Duke's innocence.

Audrey's and Hugh's investigation takes several twists and turns and includes lots of action and drama. I love their dynamic as they begrudgingly start to trust each other, though their stubborn natures often get in their way. I'm intrigued to see how their relationship plays out given that Audrey is married -- even if it is name only.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

Murder at the Seven Dials is the first book in the Bow Street Duchess series.

Detective Hugh Marsden gets called to the Seven Dials where he finds a dead opera singer and a duke covered in blood. Detective Marsden recognizes the Duke and takes him into custody. When he tries to ask him questions, the Duke only responds with" Audrey." Audrey is the Duchess and when told of her husband being held in jail, she runs to him. Strong and determined to see him against the Detectives wishes, she talks to her husband, but he is more or less unhelpful and refuses to tell her anything of value. Audrey sets out to do her own investigation infuriating Det. Marsden. Slowly they form a bond where she is forced to reveal secrets that could be harmful if gotten out that could save the Duke.

This book is a fast read that starts out intensely and holds that feeling until the reveal at the end. This is quite different than other regency books. A little bit of fantasy is added to give this story something special. I really enjoyed this book and the characters. My only dislike is that we really don't get to know the Duke except through Audrey's eyes. This focused more on getting to know Audrey, which was perfectly fine. She is worth getting to know. I am sure we will learn more in in future books.

Wow!! This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed the writing style! She makes 19th Century London come alive! The descriptions are rich and I could picture the scenes in my head as though I was right there with the characters. That's the first of many things I like about this book. Apart from writing style, I also like the characters. The bold duchess who is so different from the rest of the ton, the Bow Street officer with a dark past and the TENSION between them. It's a delicious slow burn. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author and following the relationship /friendship between the main characters. The murder plot is also interesting and not entirely predictable! I find that the way Audrey could see into the past was well described as well. All in all, an enjoyable page turner. 4.5 stars. Thanks to netgalley for this ARC.

This is an unusual book in several ways. The Duke and Duchess of Fournier are married and care deeply about each other, but have a white marriage by mutual agreement. The Duke has a younger brother with male children so the succession is not an issue. Audrey, the Duchess, has an unusual talent - she can touch items and hear and see past events. A talent she keeps secret from all but a select few.

An opera singer is murdered and the Duke is found with her, covered in blood. He claims to have just found her, but will give no account of his whereabouts that night, which gives him no alibi. His wife, Audrey, knows for certain that he wasn't having a liaison with the woman. She begins her own investigation, since it appears the officers in charge of the investigation don't feel the need to look further than the obvious culprit - her husband.

Hugh Marsden is the Bow Street Officer who was first on the scene, and examined the woman who was killed. He attempted to interview the Duke, who would not talk. The Duchess has a hard time convincing Hugh to take another look at the evidence, since the Duke was the obvious suspect. Hugh figured out early on that Audrey had an extra talent, and it was that talent that convinced him to take a closer look at the case. Hugh and Audrey do some investigating aided by Sir, a street urchin who helps Hugh in his investigations. Sir was my favorite character in the book.

This mystery was interesting and kept my attention. I cringed at times, particularly when someone fell in the Thames River, which was incredibly dirty. There are a few hints of attraction in the book between Audrey and Hugh, but nothing that ever develops. I would also have liked to have seen more of the Duke 'on page' in the book, and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series when it comes out.

This is the first book in this series set in the Regency period. I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher and voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This is the first in what will be a series, and there were a great many foundations bricks laid here. It will certainly be interesting to see how some of them develop as there are not insubstantial blockers.

Most of the historical female sleuths I read are Victorian, but here we find ourselves in the late Regency. It's certainly a regular enough setting in historical romance, so why not for mystery? In this case ours is a duchess, though she isn't much of a presence in society for assorted reasons, and she also has a gift/curse that throws a touch of the paranormal into things. Devlin was smart in fleshing out the parameters and limits of the duchess' abilities, given there wouldn't be much of a story to tell if she was too powerful with it. She is, however, rather naive and puts herself in enough danger that it makes her look stupid rather than just dedicated to righting wrongs.

Hugh Marsden checks off many boxes for a romantic potential hero. Handsome, dashing job, exasperated with the female protagonist, but decent and dedicated to protecting her, mysterious and scandalous past... We only got started unravelling and building on all that in book one, so there's plenty that can be done there.

By the end of the book, the Duke and Duchess are indelibly tainted with scandal, and it's noted in the text that that sort of thing will cling to them for at least another generation. So it will be interesting to see, as the series progresses, how that's dealt with. Audrey will lack access to certain people, places, and resources as a result. And there are limits to her freedoms in that day and age.

It was a solid start to the series, but very much felt like a first book. The big reveal didn't quite hit for me as the reasoning seemed a bit weak. I'll likely check out Death at Fournier Downs to see how things evolve.