Rosemary Simpson immediately immerses readers in Gilded Age New York society. Her stories are almost gothic in nature with their isolated wives, stifled daughters, drunk sons and step sons - its all so dark and claustrophobic and I love it. With this mystery, she manages to plumb the idea that even with outrageous riches no one is ever happy. Not a single person - not even the two main characters who seem to manage to pine for each other without ever really showing it. I'm struck by the emotional complexity of the mystery if not the mystery itself. That oart of the story felt anti-climatic. After awhile it didn't really matter who stole the diamonds as much as how and why. Of course, there was the red herring of the step son but that was actually the story that really got to me that I wanted more of - all these people worn down by the expectations of high society. Any kind f perceived failure is a cancer to either be ripped out or suffocated. BY the time it got to the end, I knew who ithe culprit was. It had been telegraphed but again that was anti climatic because what mattered was how our two detectives ebded up solving it. That's not a complaint. I read these mysteries as comfort food to see the detectives figure out a puzzle not to surprised by how I did not see it coming. In that way, the author delivers handily. The mystery itself doesn't knock my socks off but the emotional resonance, the descriptive setting and complex characters and the ongoing romantic drama between the two leads are bar none and keep me coming back!

This book was great. Good writing, relatable characters, and a solid storyline. I loved the historical detail presented throughout the book and chapters moved effortlessly along. I found myself really enjoying this cozy mystery. Highly recommend for historical mystery lovers!

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Kensington Books, in return for an honest review. Although the fifth book in this series, it can be read as a standalone. Socialite Prudence MacKenzie is defying conventions as a co-owner and operative of a detective agency with her potential romantic partner, Geoffrey Hunter. Geoffrey is an ex-Pinkerton man and not in the same social strata as Prudence. With the imminent arrival of Prudence’s aunt, Lady Rotherton, Prudence is very concerned that her future will be decided for her and not by her. When their first event together is the Assembly Ball at Delmonico’s, Lady Rotherton realizes that a Lena De Vries’ fabulous waterfall necklace is actually paste stones. Prudence and Geoffery are hired to find the real stones and the thief. Things take a dangerous turn when multiple people die during their investigation and things seem to be striking at the heart of the De Vries family. Are they the targets or opportunists?
Things I liked – Prudence is trying to have a life outside those dictated by her place in society and be true to herself. Geoffrey is trying to support her while protecting her when he can. The Gilded Age descriptions and setting are well described, as is the injection of her aunt as a dollar princess, returned from England to the States to support her niece.
Things I didn’t like as much – The book was a bit of a slog for me and I didn’t like the ending. It was a cliffhanger which is always annoying unless you know, in advance, that it’s a cliffhanger story and accept that. This book had a great deal of exposition. That’s great for stage setting but some things seemed to really drag on for longer than necessary, like the villain’s escape and then the subsequent chapters (I’m trying not to give away anything). If you like Gilded Era stories, you should like this one. If you’re ambivalent, I’d give it a miss.

This story did not lack in details. Which unfortunately, made it hard for me to stay interested. Sometimes, less is more especially when you have to wade through pages of setting and unnecessary dialogue to get to anything that really moves the story along. Due to this, I found myself skimming pages here and there when things were being mentioned that weren't integral to the plot. Now don't get me wrong, this was an intriguing premise, and I understand just how hard it can be to get any solid leads when conducting an investigation (especially when some people are less than forthcoming), but this one just went above and beyond.

Not only did the scenes jump from one person and place to another quickly becoming annoying and off-putting to me as a reader, but the sheer number of players in this game added to the overall confusion. Eventually, one name blurred into then next until (with the exception of the women) I lost track of who was who.

Speaking of the females of this novel, I thoroughly enjoyed both Prudence and her Aunt. Prudence for turning her back (more or less) on what was expected of her in order to chase her own desires, and her Aunt for being the kind of no-holds-barred woman that demands answers while commanding respect.

Sadly however, even as strong as those two were, they weren't enough to save this novel. Especially when the author chose to end it not only seemingly on a cliff-hanger in regards to one plot-line, but also chose to give some of the other characters wholly unfulfilling endings (where she chose to give them endings at all). After everything I felt like it was a slap in the face to the reader with the way things were done.

All things considered, I may give this author another chance down the road.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

I love this series and Death, Diamonds and Deception did not disappoint! Prudence and Geoffrey are exciting and interesting characters. I love the addition of Lady Rotherton, Prudence's aunt, to accompany the eclectic company of character that assist them in their inquiries. Jewels, particularly those associated with Marie Antoinette, are always interesting and this case is no exception. Mix in jealously, murder and a variety of suspects with an array of motives. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one!

I’m so happy the adventures of Prudence continue!

As always, there’s an interesting mystery that has a pretty good sense of both time and place. Prudence and Geoffrey are still a wonderful pair with a lovely relationship, with their sleuthing and from a more romantic standpoint. Overall it can be read as a stand-alone but I think the character’s history is fleshed out a lot more by reading the previous 4 books in the series first.

Full review to come closer to publication date.

From the opulent 400 to the squalid desperation of Five Points, the book was filled with the historical details that made the Gilded Age New York live. It was also rich in the dynamism of the mix of cultures, races, color and extremes that made up the melting pot of New York City. It was a little harder to believe that a wealthy young woman who came from the highest levels of society would partner in a detective agency and was still accepted in society (but a little bit of suspension of disbelief is often key in fiction and where many small towns in cozies have a murder rate per capita that outdo most cities, the book is in good company).

It was a good mystery filled with interesting characters and a plot perfect for this time period which is still very identifiable today. I loved Aunt Gillian and hope she may show up in another book. Prudence and Geoffrey had good chemistry which complemented each other in the sleuthing. An exciting ending kept my heart pounding. I only wished there had been some follow-up at the end about a central character to the mystery (I won't mention the name to ensure there will be no spoilers); it felt as if a thread was left hanging.

Overall, a good read. Sign me up for more of this series.

I received a free copy of this book thanks to Netgalley.com and the publisher in return for a fair and impartial review.